Donatella Versace and The Power of Fashion
While some designers idealize grandiose inventions and trendy aesthetics season after season, Donatella Versace stays close to her roots. Her family’s eponymous fashion label is all too recognizable, even forty years in. Throughout her time as creative director and designer, Donatella holds on to one constant in her work—being true to herself.
Rooted in Family
Born in Reggio di Calabria, Italy, Donatella is the youngest of four children. Her father worked for the family mining business while her mother was a seamstress. Tragedy struck when her sister passed away at 12 due to an improperly treated tetanus infection. In college, Donatella went to Florence to study literature and languages. It was on the weekends, however, that she was able to pursue her true passion. Donatella would travel to Milan to work alongside her brother, Gianni, as he worked for the fashion label, Callaghan. The two deepened their already close bond, planting the seeds for their blossoming legacy.
A Luxury House is Born
Versace was founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace, with his sister Donatella and brother Santo joining in leadership positions. For the next twenty years, Gianni would establish himself and the brand with an insurmountable level of fame, artistry, and success. During this time, Donatella served as the vice president, although she was widely considered to be the muse and creative partner to Gianni’s work.
An Unexpected Turn
In 1997, Gianni was murdered outside of the Versace mansion in Miami. This would not only be an infamous moment in fashion history but a turning point in Donatella’s life. She then became the creative director and designer of the global fashion brand—without her most trusted partner.
Donatella’s Reign
Donatella’s reign has been fueled by the legacy of her brother, who established the brand as an Italian powerhouse full of extravagant spectacles on and off the runway. A year after Gianni’s death, Donatella launched her first haute couture show for the Versace Atelier in Paris. She constructed her runway above the hotel’s swimming pool in celebration of her brother’s tradition, this time opting for it to be built of glass.
The fashion house can be largely attributed to the rise of supermodels in the 1990s—most notably, the 1991 Autumn/Winter show. When Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington strutted the runway to George Michael’s ‘Freedom!,’ the fashion landscape changed. They were now “Super” models, and Versace became more momentous than ever. Donatella recognized this feeling’s remaining presence over 20 years later when she brought Crawford, Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, and Carla Bruni Sarkozy to the runway in 2017 to pay homage to Gianni’s legacy.
The eponymous label has affected not only fashion and pop culture but also the tech landscape. When J Lo wore a Donatella-designed dress to the Grammys in 2000, the text-only internet was not enough to satisfy the world’s curiosity. Thanks to Versace’s iconic green dress, Google Images was born.
Donatella remains a prominent figure both in the fashion and pop-culture world. She has run the influential brand for over two decades, crafting cutting-edge designs that seamlessly balance fresh ideas and the brand’s essence. Known for its bold colors, loud patterns, and alluring silhouettes, there are hints of its identity in every collection she launches—from the Medusa logo to the safety pin hardware, the brand is renowned for its extravagance.
The Mind Behind the Brand
For all of its bold nature, Donatella herself is more relatable. In a Harper’s Bazaar interview, the creative director stated, “At this stage in my life, I’m really content for myself, but still, I feel the same fear I felt the day, the first day Gianni was not on the runway. I feel the same fear. Nothing’s changed… this fear inside me, this insecurity, is still there,” she says. “Even if I don’t show people, people think I’m so sure of myself. I’m not.”
Sometimes people in the young generation are afraid to express themselves. And they need a little bit of help. I think clothes can do that.
Regardless of these insecurities, she holds steady in the roots of her family’s brand. “We’re not too intellectual; we are more to express yourself. And sometimes people in the young generation are afraid to express themselves. And they need a little bit of help. I think clothes can do that.”
The Empowerment of Fashion
After a life of fame, tragedy, and artistry, Donatella’s experience exemplifies the power of fashion. It’s the mediums through which we express ourselves that carry us through. According to Donatella, these are the tools that empower us—to face all that life sends our way.
(R-L) Naomi Campbell at Versace fashion show Spring Summer 2022 | Photo by Matteo Rossetti/Archivio Matteo Rossetti/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images; Versace Logo Necklace; Versace Bralette; Versace Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2022/2023 | Photo by Estrop/Getty Images
Words by Liz Wynne
Feature Image: Donatella Versace at Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York City | Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images
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