Gianni Versace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gianni Versace
|
|
|---|---|
Versace in 1982
|
|
| Born |
Giovanni Maria Versace
2 December 1946 |
| Died | 15 July 1997 (aged 50) Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Near Cernobbio, Italy |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
|
Label(s)
|
Versace |
| Partner(s) | Antonio D'Amico (1982–1997) |
| Relatives | Donatella Versace (sister) Santo Versace (brother) Allegra Versace (niece) |
Gianni Versace (born Giovanni Maria Versace) was a famous Italian fashion designer. He was born in Reggio Calabria on December 2, 1946, and passed away in Miami Beach, Florida, on July 15, 1997. He founded the international fashion company called Versace S.p.A.
His fashion house creates many things, including clothes, accessories, fragrances, makeup, and items for the home. Versace also designed costumes for plays and movies. He was friends with many famous people, like Elton John, Sting, and Princess Diana.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Fashion
Giovanni Maria Versace was born in Reggio Calabria in 1946. He grew up with his older brother Santo Versace and younger sister Donatella Versace. Their mother, Francesca, was a dressmaker who ran her own sewing business.
Gianni was greatly inspired by ancient Greek history. This history is very important in his hometown. He studied Latin and ancient Greek in school.
From a young age, Versace started working at his mother's sewing business. He learned a lot about clothes making there. Before becoming a fashion designer, he was interested in architecture. At age 26, he moved to Milan to work in fashion design.
In 1973, he became the designer for "Byblos," a popular clothing line. Later, in 1977, he designed "Complice," which was a more experimental line. Because of his success, Versace showed his first collection for women in Milan in 1978. His first fashion show happened in September of that year. Soon after, his first boutique (a small shop selling fashionable clothes) opened in Milan.
Building a Fashion Empire
After opening his shop in Milan in 1978, Versace quickly became very famous in the fashion world. His designs often used bright colors and bold patterns.
From 1978, Versace built his company with help from his family. His sister Donatella Versace became the vice president. His brother Santo Versace became the president of the company. Donatella helped a lot with the creative side of the business. Gianni also hired Donatella's husband, Paul Beck, to manage the men's clothing designs.
One of Versace's most famous ideas was creating a very light type of chainmail in 1982. He called it 'Oroton'. This special material became a signature part of his outfits.
Versace was very proud of his southern Italian background. He used ideas from old fashion and art in his designs. He especially loved Graeco-Roman art. You can see this in the company's logo, which is the Medusa Head. He also used patterns like the Greek key. He loved modern art too, and made prints based on the art of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol.
In 1982, Versace expanded his business. He started designing jewelry and items for the home. This included luxury furniture, dishes, and fabrics.
At the time of his passing, Versace's company was very successful. It had 130 boutiques around the world.
Designs for the Stage
Throughout his career, Versace designed many costumes for plays, ballets, and performers. He once said that "for me the theatre is liberation." His love for bright colors, flowing fabrics, and his deep knowledge of fashion history made his stage designs very special.
Personal Life
Versace met his partner Antonio D'Amico, who was a model, in 1982. They were together until Versace's death.
Death and Legacy
Gianni Versace passed away on July 15, 1997, when he was 50 years old. His body was cremated, and his ashes were taken to his family's home in Italy.
In September 1997, Versace's brother, Santo Versace, and Jorge Saud became the new leaders of the company. Gianni's sister, Donatella Versace, became the new head of design.
In his will, Gianni Versace left a large part of his fashion company to his niece Allegra Versace. She is Donatella's daughter. Allegra received this part of the company when she turned 18 in 2004. His younger nephew, Daniel, inherited Versace's valuable art collection.
Awards and Tributes
- Versace received the American Fashion Oscar on February 1, 1993.
- The President of Italy gave him a special award called Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana on January 24, 1986.
- Elton John dedicated his 1997 album The Big Picture to Versace.
- In July 2007, a special ballet was performed in La Scala, Milan. This was to mark 10 years since the designer's death. The ballet was called Thanks Gianni, With Love. It was created by French choreographer Maurice Béjart, for whom Versace had designed many costumes.
- He received the America Award from the Italy–USA Foundation in 2017.
Images for kids
-
Inside of a Versace store, showing designer handbags.
-
Versace's Miami Beach mansion in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Gianni Versace para niños
