F

L]NIVERSE

OF FASHION

VERSACE
Bv R r c H .r R n eR r r n M

U N IVER SE / YEIID OM E

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n llorper's Bazaar of July 1977, an advertisement reads, '(lianni Versace and Milan. Here and very now . . . A total cxlravagance.'lhe principal outfit shown is a loosesilk crepe-deFirst published in the United Statesof America 1n 1997 by UNIVERSE PUBLISHINC A Division of Rizzoli International Publications. Inc. 300 Park Avenue South New York. NY 10010 and THE VENDOME PRESS Copyright A IggT ditiorrr Assouline, Paris English translation copyright A 1997 Thames and Hudson, London Front cover photograph:W'oman,photo by Herb Ritts, coll. fall/winter 1991-1992. @ Archives Versace. Back cover photograph: Man, photo by Bruce Weber, coll. spring/summer 1989. O Archives Gianni Versace. AII rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in any fonn or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording?or otherwise, without prior consent of the publishers. r'lrirrr,hl,usc with wide pleats and a crystal-pleated collar, worn with a aoli krrlllr:rskirt. The look is imperial and certain, a woman with a sure r.rr*crf'l'ashionas luxury and privilege. Versace, designingat the time ( lrrrrrli.eand Beged-or,was alreadyin commandof his distinctive lirr elylr'.Alrsolutepower and authority are found in a visual bravado comlrirr.rl with comfortablematerialsand a relaxed silhouette.Versace was, nn rtlwlys, dcsigningthe most confident clothing of his time. Vho else, llir.r rll, would combine silk and leather with the panacheof American rrorlswcar'/ Who elsewould have let the pleatsin the silk blousebecome lltr. r'r'lrlrr:of' ever-wideningripples that make troughs in the soft leather lrirl'/ Vrrsaceseesthe baroque possibilitiesof drapery and texture and i lrlrlc lo confer those characteristics the modern woman without on rtrilignli nmoderndress. l,crllrcris a recurrent motif in Versace'scollections for men and woffr(rrf llc tells his 'leather story' in Signatures,describing how his . rirlr.r. l)orratella, shared leather pants and white blouses with Diana Vrerrlurrl, that the two had not only initials in common, but also so r,lirllrcs,Vrrsacereportsthat seeingMrs Vreeland,in her seventies, wearlrrg lris krathcr pants 'led me to an even greater love fbr leather, which rnc of the materialsI love'. It is the strength of leather and its rnnrrns arociulion with sensualand raw power,aswell as its colouristicand texthat Versace lultl richlrcss, enjoysand exploits.Though he has become lltlenlulionallypreeminentasthe designer unabashed of sexuality, comhirrt.rlwith a strong senseof personalgrace,he remains very much an Itlirrr rlcsigner.He is true to the materialsof his culture: rippling silks Iu llrr, lnrrner of the best Pucci and the rich, irresistible leathers of l"l1r:r's glory. His gladiator boots for women of the early 1990swere llolt ltHsorno imagined, a malicious misogyny - they were a means of t'tlr.r'irrg lloman history and romance,of being part of the historical of'lllc lloman world in which womenseizereal powerfrom men. Itrvr,l

ISBN0-7893-0090-7 Printedand boundin Italy Libraryof Congress Catalog CardNumber:97-O6O143

is men in leather - even black leather and studs - are not bikers, bar-boys or 'Village People' - they are cavaliers, paladins of vivid and epic masculinity. His metallics reinforcedby his abiding sense the come out of his fanaticalclassicism of His colourful pageantry of the Renaissance. Autumn/Winter l99l-92 Atelier Versacewoman's ensemble of f'ull-studded motorcycle jacket worn over a studdedsilk crepeblousontop and pleatedskirt was accompanied by large metallic belts and collars.In an era when women seek urbane armour, Versacehas created a symbol of authority that is also stylish.Did Versace the couture workshopto make a gangor gangsta' ask moll or did he realize that contemporary culture already provides an imagery equivalent to Quattrocento magnificence?S/hat Versacein fact createdwas a sensualcontemporarywoman who despiteher short skirt has the powerful authority of a traditional menswear paradigm. And he createdher in the templateof courtly elegance. The male counterpartto the Versace Atelier I99l-92 ensembleis the black-leatherman's outfit for Spring/Summer 1993. This is not garb for I)re Spike or any other leather bar. The Versaceman, like the Versace woman, is exquisitelysexy in clothing and preparedfbr a grander lif'e's than bars. Sleeveless, with pocket escutcheons, is destined he spectacle for imagery and imagination far more enduring than one-night stands. For the scholasticallybranch,it may seemthat Versacehas cultivated a post-modernsensibility.He has determined that fashion'splace in the world is at the centre of visual spectacle.That simplistic, almost dogmatic, credo, in which Versace firmly believes, the reasonwhy others is is may not recognizethe sensibilityof his work. Shen Versace minimal, his reductivism is like Mondrian's,forced into the public witness.When Versace addresses sexuality,he flaunts it. When Versace appropriates art, he does so with a mad collector'srapaciouseclecticism.Yet this is not hyperbole;it is fashion asthe graphicallyenhancedspectacle lif'e. of

lk is another essay in material for Versace. His impec<:able silk blouses, bias cut for suppleness and fullness, r:omplement wool and leather skirts and pants.His silk skirts are lirrrlsi.s wild geom'etries of and prints. Though he may splashsilk with !i.rrllr lirach motifs, Pop Art graphicsand other contemporarycolour in llr. rlr'nerof film's Technicolor,versaceknows this material with all llr' r,rr't:n ltalian Renaissance of merchants and tradespeople (not to rr.rlirr Quattrocentoartists).He is aware that its fundamental value is itr rrlrility conveyrich colour on a wondrously to pliant field. 'l'lr' llalian Renaissance not only is a paradigmof dressfbr versace, lrrl rlsr his model for life. To saythat he lives like a prince is not to say rrr.r'.ly that he lives affluently,but that he is a modernizedversion of the ll.ririssarcetradition of the learned, artistically discriminating cultural l.rrrk',r. vrrsaceaspires Medici aesthetics to and authority; his synthesis is lrrrrrl rrw not only in clothing that has the distinct colours and silhou.ll.s rl'lilrnaissancepageantry,but also in his intellectual cultivation of r'(''-l)latonism, and his dispersalol an aestheticvoice int'every rxr.r:l living, from clothing to home furnishings, fragrances,music 'f' rrrrf lrrrrs.s. versace does not inhabit old palazzi; he makes their .rll.rrP.rary equivalents. His publication of sumptuousbooks is the ilrdrlgr,'<,. a prince.His greathouses equippedwith equally of are great lilrrrrrir,s. ubiquitousMedusais not a label in the fashionsense, llis but tutt irrsirria the Renaissance in tradition. lrr llr. 1990s,like a Renaissance prince, versaceorTers patronageto a lh'rr'. wrbor photography exhibition and publication which in turn lr.r'rrrrrr gifi to Interuiew readersand also to a Richard Avedon exhibilirn. ll. .1.s co-sponsor the l99s-96 exhibition,HauteCouture, as of at 'l'lrr' ( lrslurnc Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. In all these {r'l ivili.s. h. conceives f'ashionnot asan enterprisein apparel,but as of a Irtrgcrlu ll rral cnergy.

hat Versace showsis an unerring eye for discerningwhat is elegant in the continuities of contemporary life and for bringing from the street those extravagant and graceful elementsthat representthe best in contemporary style. No major designer living today has more successfully appropriated the street's reality and transfigured it into convincing style. Versace'sfriend IGrl Lagerfeld seesthe street sociologically and trenchantly, but Versacesees it even more distinctly and more aesthetically. Vrrsace perpetuatesthe great tradition of Italian postwar design. Recognizingthat mass production and sportswearare the inevitable and principles of contemporaryfashion,he has continued to parameters produce the relaxed silhouettesfamiliar from the work of PrincessIrene Galitzineand Simonetta.Easydressing a demandingidea for a city like Paris,vestedas it is in the formal and hand-made- is secondnature to from a principle of corpoHe that fashion operates Versace. understands allowing no artifice and no restrictionthat is not real and visual pleasure, ultimately governed by the comfort and confidenceof the wearer and the spectacleof the garment in society.The new lifestyle elegancethat in Italy perf'ected the 1950s and 1960s in combining American sportswear with Italian respectfor luxurious materials is at the heart of his attainment. W'ecould not imagine his worh without the precedent of Pucci, who, with his contemporary graphic grandeur and silks, off'ereda flattering way for modern women to dress. A Spring/Summer l99l jumpsuit in laminated silk tulle has the daring of Calitzine's palazzo pyjamas, but now renders the worker's coverall sheer and radiant. Versace takes the audacity even further in the corset,with unexpected military touches applied in strassembroidery.He is well aware of the combinations of luxury and utility that make clothing both practical and beautiful. He also knows those elements of the masculine that make femininity erotic and those elements of the feminine that can charge eroticism.The postwar Italian tradition masculinity with self-conscious that pastwithout work; he has assimilated remainsoperativein Versace's in any way being subservient it. His epic imaginationmay be stirred by to

lrix lr.loved QuattrocentoRenaissance, he is also informed by but the irality and tested successof the postwar renascencein Italian rlrrr:t rL,sigrr fashion. and

o the vocabulary of sportswear Versace brings the rheto_ rical flourish of sex. His sportswear impulse is apparent in his f'ascinationfor pants of every variety. Loose pyjama pants, liglrl r:igarettepants, leggings and other trousers are all explored by v'r'sirr:.;his separates dependupon an ingenuity of matching and diverrritytlrat is one of his particular strengthsas a colourist.His spring 1997 .rllr.lirn for versus (in collaboration with his sister, Dorrut"llu), fo, irrrrl,rrr:t:, mixed colours and patterns with a painter's audacity; versace llrrsirlwaysallowed an initial colour dissonance which soon yields to the rrlrr ling beautyof the colour combinations. rl colour and pattern are hallrrrrl<s his achievement. a colourist,he is unafraid; his patterns of As can lr, skins,neon-like brights or rich metals.$/hen versace"s friend 'lrinral l')ll'r .fohn received a fashion and music award from the television r"sir: channel \fHl for his personalstyle,he declaredhis dedication to r'krllring that had expressionand was not merely drab suits. versace lrrrr:s f'eeling.unlike more polite designers, is alwayswilling this he to risli vulgarity. The fact is, anyone who wears versaceis in danger of lr.ilrg over-the-top, over-the-edge,or just overdressed,but versace lirrrws- like any truly great artist or designer- that pleasureresides ir r.stheticrisk and that new fashion exists only by dint of aesthetic irrrrrvation. Not surprisingly,most of versace's exemplars,including art srlria Delaunay, Gustav I(imt and Andy warhol, were notably avantgirrrl<: their own way. in 'l'hus,versace's supposedly wild aspectis not a teasinglack of discrimirr.li'n, but rather a determination that pushesfashion on towards the rr.w and the adventuresome. might be thought that a tlesigner It as

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intrinsically contemplative and respectful of history as Versacers an makesit clear unlikely candidateto consortwith rock stars,but Versace that he exalts contemporary culture. He never conforms to traditional fashion decorum, preferring the unabashedappreciationof the culture of his time. This gives his work an urgent, almost synaesthetic, connectionthat much of today'sfashion lacks'

lillrr'. In choosing Madonna to be photographed in couture plastic, Ir. lrrs brought the full energy of our media culture to the traditionally l'tt'.li.d precinct of couture. Again and again, versace,who entered lorrlrrt: in order to create an unqualified and extraortlinary art, has rrrrLr.outure unapologetically contemporary. His couture lace is flirlrrlirus; his couture silhouette is sleekly contemporary, alluding r'lricf to artistic minimalism; his bias cuts are infbrmed by tradition. but ly rr.rrrly party in the 1990s. to

o
n fact, Versace is the only contemporary designer who fully embraces both the Madonna and Madonna' His Autumn/Winter l'99I-92 collection f'eatured the Byzantine representationof Virgin and Child. Versacedid not copy lrescoesor icons, but provided a more vivid contemporaryversion in embroidery, almost as if all the mosaicsin Ravenna and Byzantium had been suddenly cleaned to their original d,azzlingbrilliance. Art historians will never see an authentic Byzantine Virgin and Child with such arresting historicism is to render history better than it ever was. clarity; Versace's 'lhe audacity that takes him to Byzantium is typical of his forthright and recurrent use of the past. Klimt, classicism,Warhol and Pop Art, Ancient Egypt and a lasciviousArt Deco Egyptomania are all evoked in the referencing of the art of the past,but he cloes designer'sencyclopaedic not wish to replicate any of these; rathe with an innocent enthusiasm, he tries to surpass the past itself. For Versace,embroidery was a perf'ect medium for such a faux approximation and exaggerationof Byzantinemadonnas. Yet Versace also knows and employs Madonna, contemporary culture's brightest star. He effectively bridges the numinous original and the namesake.Madonna was the model for photographs of the Autumn/Winter 1995-96 collection of extraordinary plastic dresses past, renderedascouture.Capableashe is of conjuring up an assimilated his own is Versace equally expert in treating the life and materials of 10 1995-96 couture collection eaturetl dresses and suits in plastic and polyvinylchloride (pVC), a conceptthat redefinesand electrifiesfashion.In an audaciousact ,l gr:nius, versace brought the exacting handsewing and meticulous l.r:lrrriques couture to what seem to be almost industrial-stren$h of rrirl.rialsin plastic. Vhen Elsa Schiaparellidesignedin the new cellorlr'rr. in the 1930s,she was trying to make use of the quintessential rtrl.'rial her time to advancecouture.The objectivewasto employ an of irrlnr.tably modern stuff in a medium that could be either modern or lrrrlitional. Schiaparellirealizedthat an experimentwith a lustrousnew tttitl.rial, not customaryin clothing, could only enhancethe stock and slrlus fashion. of N,t only does versaceparallel schiaparelli'savant-gardegesture,he rrls. specifically takesadvantage the transparency the new medium. of of ll. has created in fashion the equivalent of the glasshouse, allowing llrr: heavy see-throughplastic to serve as counterpart to the structurer.vr:aling panes of a house made of glass.Even as he sprinkles crystal rlrrl beadson the plastic, versacecreatesa sparkling fantasy of a dress llrat.seemsto consistonly of radiance,with no discernible core. It is a ( lirderelladressof the 1990s becauseit shakes off all visible structure. kravingits wearer dressed only in the stars.
17

he Autumn,/winter

These 1995-96 couture dresses raise another issueas well. If the fundamentalmaterial of the dressis transparent,how can it function as any is garment other than the Emperor's new clothes?Versace deliberating on the recent history of transparencyin dress,especiallythe plasticsof the 1960s. Designerssuch as Rudi Cernreich, prompted by a utopian view of clothing, employed clear plastic in strategicbut limited ways. Yet the wide bands of transparencyused by Cernreich as part of the attention-grabbingdynamics of modesty versus clothing have become fbr Versace somethingf'ar more subtle and unobtrusive.For the 1960s, after all, plasticwasan unrefined material chiefly usedin ready-to-wear.

such an instance by the thought that the see-through track of the arment obviatesany traditional undergarment. It is revealedthat no interior structure car reinforce - in, let us say, the manner of a Dior rlrcss- what we perceiveas the outer structure.Versace usesthe plastic linc to prove that this is a one-layeredgarment. 'llhe denim-inspireddressin the collection featuresa martingaleback lhat splaysinto a ballgown fullnessat the rear of the skirt. Yet versace's lou,r deforce is that there is no superfluity of material at the horizontal lirr. of the martingale: its transparencyreveals only that the designer nrovcswith the subtle graduation of a Grs silk from a body-hugging rrinimal dressmaking to the fluidity of the wide skirt. Morcover, llrc transparency of the materials exposesthe process of sewing, a l,ro(,ossthat is paradoxically given increased importance because of its visibility. Versacehas chosen to embellish the pure structure with rlrl itional curvilinear pattern.

he 1995 dress by Versace is not merely an ingenious, technology-seizinguse of plastic or other new materials, in the manner of PacoRabanne,the creativeutilizer of unexpected and technologicallyadvanced It substances. is a veritable'CrystalPalace', akin to Joseph Paxton's clear glassbuilding that determined modern architecturefrom its creationin 1851.Versace demonstrates that he can create majestic shape, like a billowing Victorian crinolinc, using the wholly visible forms of transparentplastic.He treatsindustrial plastic as if it were couture's most supple fabric. The handsewingof this tough material is evenmore challengingthan the demandsusually askedof the couture. [n a floor-length sheathof utmost minimalism, Versacc employs a plasticcontour and side seamwith the deliberation an art.ist of dolineatingthrough outline, yet he has reversedthe delineatingr:lurncnt. f'rom a black-line presence the transparentabsence. to Versacc f'anriliarwith is Pop Art and its f'acility with the black line of cartoonsanrl vrrnrar:ular image,but he has deliberately made his own task the rrrorr: rlif'licultone of in{'erring perimeter line from its absence.Can onc nal<crsirrrplcr, barer,clearerexhibitionof an aesthetic that allowsonly thr orrrancnt ol function?But eventhis abstract thinking is neccssarily <rorrrpkrncrrlcd in
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he same effect is found in the synergy between the consummate craft of handsewn finishing and the kind of visible machine stitching used in jeans. Arcs and curves of blue rllrbl<-'-stitching,along with jeans-like pockets that have been transfirrrcrl from back to front, provide us with an energeticmix of blue jeans rrrrlllalenciaga,suggesting the one hand a rococo senseof ornament on urrlon the other the colour-contraststitchingof denims.The denim ref('rcnoo is reinfbrced by the blue colour of the stitching which leaves rlrlilrcrately ambiguousthe question as to whether we are looking at lrlrrr:.icans the blueprintfor the glass or house. l,ikc the appropriation of prosaic black wool jersey - the stuff of Hrrrvurts' uniforms - to the purposeful poetry of Chanel's little black rlrrtss 1920s,\brsace'sgestureturns on the intimacy we have with 'f'the and ,jr,rrrrs our timidity in the 1990swith respectto couture. In invoking 13

.j.a.s, versace offers couture to a new prospective client. Like his Aulumn 1996 collection,with its insistentmodernism and references to ( hrbismand abstractart, Versace at oddswith thosewho seecouture as is uart of tradition. In this regard, he is on the other side from couture rkrsigners whoseconsistent aesthetic one of historicism,settingcouture is irrlr t.hcpast,often the distant past.on the contrary,what versacedoes irr lhis plasticdressand in his Autumn/Winter 1996 couture collection is l. placecouture in the thrall of the progressive and advanced. Admitlrrrllt, ,1t"r" is risk in this, but versaceis a shameless exponentof thc new irrrrl arlventurous. srrrr:lywe know that in our culture jeans are familiar to evt:ry<:outure r'li.rtl, evcn if coutureis not familiar to everyjeans-wcarcr. ll'wr: would irr'rrc fashionhistory for the harmony betwecna cultural r:onfiurain lirrr antl the characterof clothing,betweenapparcl anrl Z.ilgr:isl,our crrrcrrl society would suggestthat jeans and coulrrrc rrri4hl rrringlc lrrl, fact,must coexist ilr and cooperate. thc arhorisrrr To llrirl'rr:ople wlro livc in glass houses shouldn't throw stoncsl Vrrs<,r, lJrrl our irlls ilr crllrrr' lhcy can't ignoreRollingStones eithcr.

'l'|rcIYew York Reuietuof Books, it could be becauseMr. Versace not is sctting up housekeeping with clientswho have married him in the past; hc is always courting someonenew.' Spindler rightly understandsthat Vcrsaceis always hunting for the new client, but not by obsequious ingratiation.Rather,he is a most uncompromisingdesigner, one who but rlcvelopsand expandsin the public arena of the fashion runway show and in the even larger arena of popular contemporary culture, always linding new fascinationsin the world around him. \/ersace's energy is famous;he makesit clear both as a designerand as a human being that he prizeslife. Versace been asunexpectedas an actor trying out new has roles, sometimes Shakespeare,sometimes opera, sometimes movies; sometimes even blue movies.

ne of Versace's leitmotifs is sex. His slipdresses cling more with less material than almost anyone else's. His plunging dcolletageshave always nosedived toward the navel. His tight dresses and tailoring have slowedat every f'emalecurve. His lace inserts and bare apertures - learned in large part from Crs, Vionnet and other designersof the 1930s - inject not merely

rarlitionally,and even in mos1.inslrrr:r:s ()rrr firrrcs, i. lirshirn designers begin with inn'vari.rrsir rlr.ir' li'sr rrrllr.lirtts,rlrvt,'lop andfbllowcrs clir:rrrs), rlrirrrr.ly {ans (as irrrl s.llkr
i l l l o s f y lc t hat is th e d c s i g n e r' s tra rk rrrra rl i ,w i fl norl r.slsr,sol rrl crrfi fr r r r lior rar l. ius t i n gto fa s h i o n t:u rro l rts . A rr ry S ri rrrl l r.r.(/V crlY orl t: , 'l 'i tttt ' s lf l\ 4 r r c h 9 6 ) rc ma rl < c d o f' a V rrs rr,r, , 19 i l rrcsr.rrl i rl i onr N 4i l i rrr, '(i i rrrlr i V ' r s r c cc n d < :d th c d a y w i th h i s rro l l tr,lor. rh,rl i r.l r.rl ..tr i lo wo n ri n wlr r lis lc n s t< l c l a s s i r:a lrn u s i < rl ru l rr rr.j oys r.or.L.w l o rcrrl s 'l 'l tt'l \ t ' t t ' Y t t r lt er r lr rl a l v i n o h u t c a rr l l v c l i rrrgl rrrl (l a r,l ossi ry rrorri r:l cs, w l rr r r Lr r . s wc ir r ir r g Vrrs a r:. w i l h (l a l v i r l (l c i rr.j .rrrrs,r.V ' l .srr,r,.i r,us l w i l l r ( llr t t r c , jit r r l < c l ." l l ra l s o rrrrl si l i ,r: r l f' l ru ' s o rurl l i rrrrrl l rc l l i cl iof' rrl
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body's presence,but body's titillation. In menswear,Versace's erotics are equally evident. Spindler (New York Times,2 JuJy1996) statesthe obvious in commenting, 'Of course, Mr. Versacehas always made his men's wear message deeply erotic one...'Arguably, eros is a funda amental impulse in dressas both self-expression and socializationand Versace one of the most honest designers letting clothing serve as is in an overt aphrodisiac.Likewise, licence and a touch of licentiousness inhabit his favoured photographs.Richard Avedon, Herb Ritts, Bruce W'eber and other photographershave createdimagesthat complement the inherent sensualityand sexual charge of Versace's clothing. Most importantl Versaceis never coy about the intrinsic sexuality in his
15

design or in his life. His own lusty appreciation for sexuality as a part of life differentiates him from demure, timid designerswho would like to unleashthe power of bodies,but cannot.Versace a liberator for conis temporary sexuality and sensuality.From the same root he is affiliated with music and media, twins of the contemporarylibido and physical animation.He understands and acknowledges fashion'smediaphilic role in our culture. Versace said of himself, 'I don't carefor half-measures. believein has I making clear-cut choices.' Versace'sfashion is about such bold and unequivocal choices.Unafraid of being denouncedby the insufferably polite and fearful, he makes deliberate and wilful fashion to be worn only by those who share with the designer a desire for risk, an honesty about sexuality and sensuality,and a self-confidencein aesthetic choice. Gianni Versace brave of heart in a timid time. He is true to resplenis dent, bold, eye-scorching,body-arousing beauty in an indifferent and ugly era.

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Chronology
1946 1972 fJorn on 2 I)eccnrberin Rcggio Calabria,ltal1. , r w Sta r ts o r ki n ga s a d e si g n e irn M i l a n , a l i e r a n l r r r tr r l i cr ''l r i , l r ",.,r 1 ,, shrnent. dressrn ng establi aki Showshis first lcather collcction lbr Cornplir:c. for Showshis first colloction womcn under his ()wll rr;rtrrr'. lnllel .lt,'tl,ltt';, 't,t' of lbr costunres a Jrrotluction llichard Slrat"s's f)osigrrs
at l,a Scala, Ttaly. L)es i gnsc os tumes fi rr a prodrrc ti on oI C us tav i \l rl l l r,r' "l rrrl l r' l /,i ,' /, tttt,l I ' ' l D es i gns c os tumc s l br produc ti ons of D oni z c tti ' s l )tnr l \rs rtt,tl ,' :rl I rr l " rl tht-' bllet Dyoniscts,dirccted by NTaurice lljart.

1975 I97B 1912

1983 t9B4 1985 l9B6

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V ers ac c gi v es a c onl erenc e at tl re C i anni Y t,s ac t l ,]rhi l ri l i on rrl l l rr' \ r, l ,,r r r and A l bc rt Mus eunr. London. Thc l tal i an P rc s i dent rnak t:s V ers ac c a' fl omnrand1ot"rl l l rr' l l :rl i :r R opubl i c . R c tros pec ti v o ex hi l ri don of the l as tttrn v t' ars ol rl ts i grr l rrL' ' l ' r' ' at the National !'ield Niluseurn,Chicago. P rc s ented w i th the' (]rande Mdai l k de V ermc i l dc l V i l h' tl r' I' rrr i ' l ,t of .l ac ques C hi tac , on the c c < :as i on thc ex hi bi ti on ' l )i ak rgrr,' s tl ,' rrr,,,l ' ' w hi c h ex ami nes thc tl os e w otk i ng rel ati ons hi p betw t' t:l l l l tc tl ,' .i grr, r ' ,r,,1 l eadi ng fas hi on photographers (A v r:don, N ow ton, P errrr,r:l r' .).l )r' s i p.rr"

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1987

oos tumes fi rr the bal l c t Lo Mtomorphrs edes di eux bv ,\rrrl r' ,"\l ,rl r' ,r,,. (rhoreography by Maurir:e Biart). I)c s i gns c os tumes l br produ< :ti onsof S rftrneby R i trhard S l ri ttts s .rri l l r 1.,;" dcsign by Bob Wilson, and Bjart's I'erlo et le Cygne nd Sott'r'rrir,/, [,enngrod. R oc s i v es thc ' Mas c hera l )' A rgento' (Gol den Mas k ) fi rr hi s r,rrl t i l rrrl i orr l ,'

thcatre. Ituhlication oI the booh [/ersoce T'eotro lry Frarrco Maria llir:r,i" , rr, ,| ;r , , r r, ol ti tl es dc di c ated to V ers ac e' s .rv orhi n tbc rv orl d ofthl ' atrc ai l rl l rrs l ri ,' rr.

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f)es i gns c os tunrc sl orZi z i J oanmi re' s mos t rec ent rc c i tal at tl l r' l l rrl l r' ' rl r at N ord theatre, P ari s , and l br hi s bal l et J auo h' c reuer the Op' rrr (,ottti ,,,,' l l l r-' c tedthe w orl d' s rnos t c reati v e antl i nnov ati v c dc s i gner l or rtr' rrl rl l l r,' ' C uttv S ark ' i ury .

plntogapher in search Arobesqtu:. fersoctis designssedtuz the. of'a beu.ul.ilil imuge. Ithoto: Rilhttrd '4uedon. Au.lunn/Winl.er CoLlection l/ersoce. 199:J-94. A Art:hit:es Gian.n.i,

7:l

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of Op rrrrsthc ' A tc l i er \,urs ac r,' ,a s tudi o Ii rr thc r:n' rti on \' c rs ac tr htl l t' t' otttrrt' dc s i gns . dilctfed bv I]ob \\'ilsorl" [)osigns ccrslrlnes lirr a productiot't 11)t*kt is1 ,rl ( ' l tti ,t Zul tt Lt,1l i l ,' gi .e pour l i l .l e. rnc fi rr l l j art' s rrodrrt:ti on' f fas hi on l i nt"V ers rrs ' , l i as c tl on mc l rt, i nl brml thtl trl t:s . P nrs ents hi s nc n v orurg

f990

'l 'hc S an i r.anr:i s r:oOpc ra opc ns i ts s tras orr th a produc { i on o1 Il i c hrd u,i bv Straus-.'s(kqtriu'itt rvith t:osturntr-. Vt:rsat:e. E r hi bi ti on ' V c rs ac c ' l ' c atro' al the R oy al [i ol l c gt' ol \r1, l ,ondon. Ior I)c s i gns (trs tunrc -q W i l l i anr l -ors v the' -"bal l c ts i n l i rnl < l i rr1. R c t:ei v c sl hc ' Otrt:l ri od' Oro' an' ard l or thc fi rurth ti nrtl ' &'i scrtsi, the first in a nt'rv seri(:s of rnntral f'uhlishcs fcrn.il.ru, It sti.l: vol urc s .

| 199

1992

t: Th c ' V c rs ar:o:S i gnattrres 'rc trtts J rc c l .i v c x hi bi ti on oP c tts at thc Frs hi ol r Tn s l .i tutc ' l bc hnol ogv (l i .I.' l ' .), N r,rv Y orl < . of [) s i gns s tagt' c os turnc sl bl Lhu uorl d tour ol l ' ]l 1on.l oIrn,onc ol V tl t' s ar:c ' s gr c atc s l adnti rc rs .

f993

of A r v artl c d a l as hi on Os r:ar bv thr' (l oLnc i l of l i as l ' ri onI-)r:s i grrc rs ' \rttr,rtt:a. i l )c s i gns t' os tunl c s l br l 3tl i art' sbal l et S s s I' i ntx tttri r' ' (!nttr(l ti \l t" l tl s l ,runc l tt:s ' J l orrrS i gnal ttte' . ttl trw l i l rt' ol r< :c < :s s ori i rr tht: horrttl '

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f 995

an Vers ac c s t)orrs ()r,s c rl i bi ti on ol thc w orh of thc photographt-' r l l i trharrl bv Av edon i n \Ti l al l . D c s i gns c os tul l rc s fbr a nen pro< l rrc ti orr thc i \rnel i l l l t l l al l c t ' l ' hetrc , l l rn.t' N etLrIl ea* :tt, c horc ographc tl hv Tuv l a' Iharp'

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Openi ng of ' \!c l rc rV ers at:c \i aggi V ogtrr:' " { l rt, fi rs t t' rhi bi l i on oI rhotographo' l J nrc e S "t' ber' s norh i n l tal y , s rotts oredbv V ers atl t' .

n'a (:ostunrcs a new ballct chorcographt,tlby Rjart, ['<'Prest41.i:rc lbr f )r.sigrrs and ytn t:lmrnren.ile.jttrdin. stn. N'lozart clol; with nrtrsicby de de rienperu!u. thc pop group Quecn.

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u I'r:rsrttr"s tnrtlirttts presartt llrc ilrrttrtptttcr tt'it.lt. tronderfitl otporturtit.) Itt rettntt ib ntol'uttull ttttrl rctost'. I'lroto: I\rug Onltroy. Sprin:,/Strnnter ()illcttion I 991. ((l).lrr'liilcs (]iunni I arsutt'-

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Versace

photogrophsbeoutifuly convey Versoce'sfovourllegome Shope. Herb Rifis's the of olternoielyveiling ond unveiLing body. Foscinctedby the thiriiesond on odmirer of Vionnetond Grs, ihe designer is odept ot expoiling lhe conlrosl between ortfuly reveoled skin ond gcrmenl. The skill of the phologropher ond lhe olternolingpoy of open ond closed shopes much fovoured by lhe designer 92. give rise io ihese houniing imoges. Autumn,/Winler Collection l99l @ ArchivesGionni Versoce.

Thefomily.At theverycenkeof Versoce's work,thefomiy provides muiuoi suppolond o sense solidorily. wos, ofteroll, hlsmoiher of 11 who introduced himio ihe loysof foshion design. Photo: AlfoCastoldi, 92. @ Archives I GionniVersoce.

Functionol elegonce. Encourogedby the modern convicilon ihot beouty is of born of simple expressions funciion,Versoce creotesdressesthoi ore elegonf ond eosy lo weor. The zip fosteneris olwoys in the midd e ond to the froni, but il creoles the some effeci cs o slripe or c zip in on obstfoct pointing by Bornetl Newmon. Drowing: Mois Gusiofson.@ ArtistA+C Anthology. Pholo: SlevenMeisel. @ ArtislA+C Anthology.

The relotionship behveen Gionnl Versoceond his sisterDonotelo is one of f.n.o inr SFo ., ta r n ,nli- ln lo nr .qo . ..l c s i r or '^ r er o n -r. right. Left,phofo: StevenMe se. Right,pholo: l r v i ng Penn.O Ar c hi v esGi onni versoce.

Toiol look. Although Verecceoflen envisogesoufits os seporoies,he dlsploys on obsolule mosleryof stye ond the motching of co ours. Accessoriesp oy o n i mp o rl o n tro l e j n h i s w o rl d . L e f t ,p h o t o : l rv i n g P e n n ,S p ri n g / S u mme r Co leclion I 99 L O ArchlvesGionnl Versoce. Righl, 'Roge de Vert'. @ Vogue, Februory 199, Jeon BoptisteMondino.

Visuol impoct, fem ole impoct. Althougho phol o tc k en i n l 983 by R i c hor d Avedon selswomen on o pedestol,Versoce preferso womon who rellesfor her power soley on hersef by iuxtoposingbold lorms: ivey onimo prinis, moscuine lrousers ond iocket. A BruceWeber shot for the Autumn/Winter Coleclion 1989-90 shows thol o Versoce skirt mlght we 1 be o unlsex gormenl of clossic simplicity.@ ArchivesGionni Versoce.

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The metollic dress. n co loborotion with the phoiogropher RichordAvedon, Versoce hos creoted o new composillonolstylefor portroying foshion, the successof the iroditionol group photogrophspresenlingihe stor itemsof o to colleclion.The sensuo ond fluid fobric used in these metollicdresseshos become one of Versoce'sfovourites since the firstdress of thls knd oppeored i n the Aufum n/W inler Colleciion l982 83. @ Ar c hl v esGi onni Ver s oc e.

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1992.@ A rc hi v es C ol P S P l Ornoments . hoi o:rv i ng enn, pri ng/S ummer l ec ti on ()i<rrni bothing by io bustiers seem be inspired moderndoy Versoce. Versoce's ( ()s|,mes much by 18ih-century slrops, The courtly dress. ornomenlol os os 1995, con Colleciion photofor theSpring,/Summer o Meisel's vir;ib in Steven costume os Rococo-slyle or sirops o bothing of lx: sccnos lhe functionol ()l l rofnenl .A rc hi v es onni ers oc e. V Gi @

Aesihetic life. Untiringlyupto-dote, Versoceolso oiiribulesgreot vo ue io lhe unlimiledpleosures o rich ond vorled oesthetic ife, fu of references of io clossicism, the Renoissonce ond the Boroque. His ntereslin the post ond in lhe historyof ol in generol is visible everywhere. Left,photo. BruceWeber. Right,phoio by Helmut Newton, token from Versoce'shome on lhe shoresof LokeComo. @ ArchivesGionni Versoce.

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for os gown deslgned o coslume Left, A tostefor spectocle. fu I'skited siogedin l98l. O Archives boLlet o !,tttvcvit Leningrod,MouriceB1orl de ( i onrrl Co Meise. Spring/Summer ection1994. Right, photo:Sleven Versoce. (t)A rt:hi v es onni ers oc e. V Gi

A toste for potlern. Two florol pofierndressesdes gned severo yeors oporr ll uskotethe modernilyof lhe Versoce slyie. Left,phoio: SievenMeise, Spr ing/Summ erCollection 1995. Right,photo: R i c hor dAv edon, Spr ing/Summ erCollection l9BB. @ Ar chlvesGi onni Ver s oc e.

Theotre meeis foshion. Versoce ollows his imaginollon free reln. He shows rro l ro s i l o l i o n no d o rn i n g o s o c i e l yw o mo n , s u p p o ri e db y s p e n d i d mo l e 1 w rrrry rrl l d s l n o d re s sw i l h o n o u l ro g e o u s l y l d e c ri n o l i n e .Fl o ro lp o t t e rn s , , f , l r, rrx l c o s h me reo n d i n s p i ro l i o n ro m l h e l Zt h c e n t u ryo l l w e n l l n l o t h i s .r,lurno cTeoled lor Souvenirde Leningrod.Drowing: Weber. @ Archives ( l rrn rrlV e rs o c e .

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77

ond ihe iheoke' octs Concepl ond theotre. The impocl of form, boih in imoges ond impetuson Versoce.His cosiumedesigns for operos' bolJets os o dvnomic performonceo]lows rhe fheotreverge ot limes on foshlon His iosle for spiriied flowevef proclccl hm to toke hs ideos on foshion 1o iheir logicol conclusion ond ideo isl Pholo ond ugtodot" he moy be, Versoce will olwoys remoin SlevenMeisel. @ ArchlvesGionni Versoce.

rn ' : " ' l " rl l rrr | -! : ; " P o t t e rno n d c o l o u t V rrrl " l y r rl l n rl l (' rri ' rr' l rl l l " ii" rrr rl rrl I l l rrt r' ' rr" rl l r! t ' t r' ' i i rr" rl i l -r s l e . Fl c :l r, * , l y i l l rt w r t t r" 1 ' l t ' t l i ' l l L ' l ! ri r!l ' ! " ' rri ' ; ' ' l l i t ' l r ' l J r' l l rr' l / ' " l " r' t s e d e n t l ru l y , , r, l ry u ' rl " ' 1 " | rrrriV . r' rr" ' l ' l rl l l l l l rrrrrt t r{ l rY FE ' [ ' -! L l q O . A i (l ri v | r' (t l r .fb.t." Gionni Versoce

ond gl om our ol Glom our . In the m id- l99Os, Ver soceus ed the br i l l l onc e odmirers Versoce new motericlsfor his deslgns EltonJohnls one of his folthful for his 1992 World creoled o number of hls stoge outfltsos well cs lhe sets I 995 ono Tour. Pholos:RichordAvedon. Spring/Summer Colleclion '199 @ ArchivesGionni Versoce' Spring/Summer Collection

rr t r' l l " l l l ' t l " ' r' r ' rl t l 7 rl ' l ' rrrl i l ' rr' t L ' Mo s c u l i n e / f e mi n i n e V e t s o < ' o ' rx ' t l l l '" '' l " r" r " r" , ; ; ; . . ' ; ; ; . . -" ' . " rc o u i ' h ' h ' , ' ' ' 'r, " ' L r' l t l " ' ",','t r' rr" r' r" rI r' r' l l r l " l " ' r' o n d o o w e rl , ' , o " d l o n s ' t o tj ' rr' ' l u't ' ' t t rr' " " " " " " t 1 Q " 9 o R l ' 1 l rt1 rl r, r' l l rrr'" W " l ' i l J " / i ; t ; " ; o l l e t rl o n " r" ' r" 1 9 9 @ A r-h rre s6 : n ' " ' ! C o rl " i ' ' o n

ihe Auiumn/Winter Sensuolityof fobric. Thonksto lhe use of sensuolfobrics, by the iop Collectjo )994 95 hugged lhe shope of the body Presenled wos photogrophed by Mlchel Comie in models of the time, the coLJection foshonhouse. @ ArchivesGionni Versoce Versoce'spresilgious

r" l (l l J (/ ) { rrr. rrl rrl rrl r" v ' r' ' " H o u i e C o u t u re . Th e A re l i e rC o l l e c t i o n (: i l l rrrl rr )r/ 1 r/ " / ' r" ' l ' i r' 1 " ' i n w h i c h h e o d d s t o l ri r'( )l l r. r i r ; ' ; ; J ; ; ; . . rt u re rl r' ' l " r' l rr ' ' ' rr t ro n l l n q o i n o e , o ' s S " o rl j rq 5 5 o 5 i 1 " p ' l l ' 1 . " ' l ' " ' rr" r" l l ' A ' r' rr' r "1" i o p o o , . g o r ro c e L r^ w ; s e t b o l l g o w n '*..'Ol"t l ' r. rl l ' r' l rr' r' , ' l ' " ' r' rr' | rr I r' rl" l q q r-s 2 l n p o l y v i n y9 c h l,o ri d e (P V (-) fi".i.. '1 l 5 Mrrr' t rrrrl A rl Me l ro x rl i l i t rr o " , " j , " . " r, . rr" . n " o f p l o , i l t

lhe evening dresses Sensuolityof form. Coptured in rnotionby lhe comero, supple ond fluid forms' of the mid-l 99Os ore evocollve of modern donce The ihe body' which often goin from being cul enlirelyon ihe bios, clinglo ornoment' li", tronsmitling po*"r. of seluctjon with no need for superfluous The purily of line gives ihe designs lheir conlemPororylooK Photos:RichordAvedon. @ ArchivesGionni Versoce

\ ' ' . " " ' l ' ' ' " 1 ' r ' r" ' l rr' 1 ; rv rr' r" w " ' " ' 7 r" r " ; : : ; " ; " ; ; ; ; : ; ' i " " -g " d ; " " " ' w h ' c h ro l rl r l t rrr, 1 rL rrr r " e v e n o n e v e n i n gd t e s st l c s i 'rr' l l rr l " s e e m l o c re o l e i t . l h u s , r i l rr l t r" [ ' ( l rrrl ' r' r rY! rr r " Ll o n n o , e d e v p t e s srg o o s t i o n o rd e ^ J b e l o " e rt ' ' l rI t " rr ; ; i ; ; . . f o ro s t h " e d e s i g n e ri s c o n c e rn e d ' mo v o rl o rrl ' rrr' l l ' t ' | ' rl O A rc h i v e s O k rrrt riV " l ' ' l ' " mu s ll i e o i i h e l o u n d o l i o no f t h e g o rme n t E l e o c n c e o n d v i t o l i t y (o ^ ' l o 1 l ' ' o t o e o f

lobel' Donotello Versoce, the muse, is olso co-designerof the Versus Doncie lo' Photogrophedby Helmut Newlon on the shoresof Loke Como' Colleclion from ihe Prt'd-Porter liolion foshion, weors o dTess the icn of between lrodilion 1995. The irnoge is on ihe borderJine if,ing/Sumt", ond modernism.@ ArchivesGionni Versoce'

rl rr: , : " rl e v o r r\ J ' ' r' ' t ' r " l ' ' . ' " ' Th e me o n i n g o f t h e i mo g e rn o c o n P o ri ri o l r' r" rrrrr f g -' e l ' u n n rt n d ' e s s c " rrI i r' rr I l 6 6 ; rs 6 t u re . -b . ' w l h rh e o i d o r | rmo g e o ' Mo r' l ( )l " r' ' r" V e rs o c ec o n , e s u p w | h ' n o d e l s o r V e r' o c e R . c ro i o A re d o r' @ A t c n v e s G o rn i Pnoto.

ore evidence of A* ond foshion. BruceWeber's ofiistic imoges for Versoce wiih,ihe porodigms ihe loter's undying foith in ort ond beouty He ploys ogoin moved by o pcssionoteconviciion lhot beculy is still1o of eorlier mosterpieces, orlifice creoted through foshion Life]mitotesod, nol lo cchleve U"il.ou",", bul to oltoln beouly. @ ArchivesGionni Versoce'

l t rrl i l g re o l o p p f e c l o t i o no { , 1 l rt r" rrrl I ' Fo s h i o n o n d mu s i c V e rs o c eh o s o I I rrr )rrrr r whelher opefo o focl ' by lr ncc' llr lr musicolperformonces, h e l r t ' rr rt I | rr l r rlI t o p d e s i g n e rh o s i n v e s l e do s mu c h o s Mo d o n n o . N o lt)t) )' ')'1 Avedon, Aulumn/Winler Collcx:llrrr ;t ;r* i.in,.n,," Gionni Versoce n,gh,, phoio' BruceWeber' @ Archlves

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Hls references Versoce's sensibility tends lowords o conlinui! of closslcism Weber' bui he lo Neoclossicismore frequent,os in this phologrcph by Bruce ortisfssuch os lu ion olso derives his inspirolionfrom the work of contemporory Gionni Versoce' Schnobel. Left,o work byJulion Schnobel execrted for Right,photo: Bruce Weber' @ ArchivesGionni Versoce'

rrrrl r I rrrr rl rr" w o f l h e o ri l s t s i t h w h o t t l V o rr'rr C o n t e mp o ro ry o rt l i m D i n e i s o n e o t rrI t l ' ' ' t r" l l t rl " ' rrr f H e d ro w s i n s p i f o i i o n ro m, h i sw o rl ' o i ru i t f rl ' f r r" r' ' r' u 1 " " I " n d rn l p . h ' s o o i ' y ' i l e s -c e D rn e I ra l u ' i o l S c h ro n ^ l ;; ;;ot I;l)r rrirl"rrrrrrrr''r ti* v-r home Pholo: RichordAvedorr' l 'i:-,9l.J.;;"', D e t o i lo f o x rl t rlt 1 1 l ry t rr l )t t t ' i S q Z @ A rc h i v e s G i o n n i V e rs o c e .ii".i. Versoce @ ArchivesGionni

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Captions translated frorn the French by Ruth Taylor The publishers wish to thank the Maison Versace for its assistancein producing this book and in particular Gianni and Donatella Versace,Patricia cucco and Sylvia Rossi. Thanks are due also to Elton John and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. Thanks to Richard Avedon, Bruce Weber, Irving Penn, Herb Ritts, Helmut Newton, Steven Meisel, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Mats Gustafson, Doug Ordway, Massimi Listri, Michel Comte, Alfa Castaldi,Thierry Perez. In - addition to Stephanie Seymour, Linda Evangelista, Helena Christensen, Claudia Schiffer, Amber Valletta, Cindy Crar+{ord,Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Shalom, Kirsten Mc Nemany, Nadge, Karen Mulder and Nadja Auermann. Lastly, this book could not have been produced without the valuable assistanceof Rosanna Sguerra (Art t Commerce), Jeff Sowards (Michel Comte Inc.), Chris (Yannick Morisot), as well as Sabine Killinger (Elite), Jean-Marc (Marilyn Agency), Cathy Queen (Ford NY) and Deanna Cross (Metropolitan). Our thanks to them all.