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Gianni Versace:
A Fashion Success!
By Sher Matsen |
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Gianni Versace
was born in 1946 in Reggio, Calabria, in
Southern Italy. Versace received his love of
fashion and first lessons on dress-making
from his mother.
Initially
Versace trained as an architect, but soon he
followed his mother into the fashion
business. Versace worked for a number of top
Italian fashion houses, but in 1978 with the
help of his brother Santo he launched his
own label.
Versace
was a great fashion pioneer who
combined the worlds of high style and pop
culture. He was a charismatic and
accomplished designer of clothing
 and
theater costumes.
Versace appreciated
a range of historic attire which he
incorporated into his designs and he was
greatly influenced by Andy Warhol and modern
abstract art.
Wowzer! Best
describes the fashions designed by Gianni
Versace. He was notorious for designing
garments that would shock and startle our
senses. Versace saw his designing as an art
form. He initiated clothing that was
visually excessive and provocative- fashions
that confronted accepted codes of taste,
beauty and sexuality.
Fashion became
entertainment, to be watched and admired -
not simply worn. For Versace nothing was too
extravagant too crazy or too risque. Yet no
matter how extravagant or provocative
Versace's clothes were always strikingly
well designed garments designed to flatter
the body.
Versace was the
designer of choice for many of the rich and
famous: pop stars such as Elton John, and
Madonna; film stars such as Will Smith, and
Elizabeth Hurley and even royalty - Princess
Diana.
The wealthy
were drawn to his clothes like magnets, and
that enhanced his reputation. However,
Vercasse did not design simply for the
wealthy his clothes were very much available
to the average person.
 In
1985
he launched the Istante label in 1985; and
after years as Gianni's muse, his sister
Donatella became his co-designer and
launched the Versace diffusion range,
Versus, in 1989
These labels
featured clothes within the budgets of many
consumers; not only were they priced lower
than the custom-made clothes, but they were
also aimed at younger markets. In 1988
Versace received the Cutty Sark Award as
"the most innovative and creative designer
in the world"; and in 1993 the Council of
Fashion Designers of America awarded him the
American fashion Oscar.
On July 15, 1997
Versace was shot to death outside his South
Beach home in Miami, Florida by a crazed
gunman name Andrew Cunanan. Since his
untimely death in 1997 the Versace fashion
house continues to grow under the creative
leadership of his sister Donatella and the
business acumen of his brother Santo.
Donatella’s daughter Allegra inherited 50%
of the company last summer when she turned
18. However, Donatella is still very much in
charge.
The days of the
wet-look, shocking pink PVC and as much
flash and flesh as a catwalk can take are
long gone. The new Versace is growing up.
"I'm not blind," says Donatella. "I know
that most women don't look like models.
We had to start
addressing other parts of a woman's life.
The fashion business is a very different
place from when Gianni started the label."
Donatella's mind is very much on the
continued success of Versace.
With Donatella at
the helm, and Santo and Allegra at her side,
they continue to grow and develop the
Versace Product Lines with fabulous designs
unveiled for the 2005 Spring Season. The
proof is in the Versace spring fashion line
- Have a look for yourself!
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/fashion/fashionshows/05/spring/runway/versace/
http://www.milanfashionshows.com/spring2005/versace/photos.htm
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/S2005RTW/review/VERSACE
Sher from Estate Jewelry
International has been serving customers for
over 20 years, providing fashion, jewelry,
and wedding help. Please visit us at
http://www.estatejewelryinternational.com/
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/ |
