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FIRST CLASS FIRST
AN EXHIBITION IN 2018 BY V&A WILL SHOWCASE A
FRAGMENT OF TITANIC FIRST-CLASS LOUNGE AND
WORKS BY LE CORBUSIER AND STANLEY

NEW DELHI | THURSDAY|17-23 AUGUST|2017 15

THE BOLD AND THE BOUNTIFUL

ITALIAN FASHION
DESIGNER, GIANNI
VERSACE, WAS
MURDERED IN COLD
BLOOD ON THE
MORNING OF JULY
15, 1997, OUTSIDE
HIS MIAMI BEACH
MANSION. TWENTY
YEARS SINCE THAT
TRAGIC DAY, HIS
CONTRIBUTION TO
THE INDUSTRY IS
STILL CELEBRATED,
AND HIS AUDACIOUS
SARTORIAL ACUMEN,
STILL CONSIDERED
SECOND TO NONE
Karishma Sehgal

THE ’90S were a time when the

world at large was hit by a new wave.
The era that saw the advent of the
internet technology, globalisation,
and novel content in the entertain-
ment space, was also one where
fashion was experiencing a major
metamorphosis — much of which
was spearheaded by Gianni Versace,
who was then at the peak of his cre-
ative career.
Gianni’s untimely death came as
a shock to the world, though it
wouldn’t be entirely wrong to say
that shocking was an equally inte-
gral aspect of Gianni’s design sensi-
bility. Back then, excessive skin
show, S&M references, and sexual
liberation were unheard of in fash-
ion, but Gianni’s Versace saw an
unabashed, repeated demonstra-
tion of these.
Gianni’s Foray Into the World of
Fashion
Born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, in
1946, and raised by a dressmaker
mother, it wasn’t very late in life that
Versace found his calling in fashion
(he created his first dress at the age
of nine). He studied architecture and
then moved to Milan to carve his
niche in fashion design at the age of
26. After working in collaboration
with renowned Italian fashion
brands like Genny, he launched his
first ready-to-wear collection for STAR POWER: Iconic Italian designer Gianni Versace (right) with Naomi Campbell. He transformed runways by adding sex and celebrity to it
women at the Triennale di Milano,
in 1978. ing it low-key. tained couture status, of which his A HEADSTART: low-waist jeans fad caught on glob-
Blurring the Lines Between Flamboyance was more like his loyal celebrity clientele was proofe- GIANNI VERSACE WAS ally, it had already made its debut on
Entertainment and Fashion thing. Gianni, in fact, was the first nough. Bondage-inspired silhouettes THE FIRST DESIGNER TO Versace’s ramp.
Fast-forward 13 years, everything fashion designer to cash on the ben- (1992, Fall collection), Liz Hurley’s INTRODUCE DRESSES MADE Donatella Safeguarding
that Gianni did, made headlines efits of celebrity public relations. safety pin dress (1994), and Princess OF ALUMINIUM MESH AND Versace’s Legacy
(and for good reason). Be it his icon- Bringing the Streets to Couture Diana’s electric-blue silk gown (1996) WAS ALSO THE PIONEER IN Since Gianni’s death in 1997, the
ic Fall 1991 show, where supermod- Ramps are some of Versace’s iconic creations USING NEO-COUTURE design house is under the creative
els, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Back in the day, Gianni was the first referenced time and again by fashion supervision of his sister, Donatella,
Crawford, Linda Evangelista and designer to challenge the fashion luminaries, even today. also known to be Gianni’s muse.
Christy Turlington walked the ramp, industry’s elitism and cliquishness. A Creative Visionary Ahead of His leather and rubber. Sensuous cut- With a view to keeping the brand
swaying and lip-syncing to George Drawing inspiration from the streets, Time outs and sleek silhouettes were sig- relevant and in line with the chang-
Michael’s “Freedom”, the starry pres- and diverse subcultures, he brought Gianni was never one to play safe nature of his designs. ing times, Donatella has infused an
ence of A-listers like Madonna, Bon collections doused in vivid colours, with his craft. Innovation was his Gianni also had a role to play in element of freshness and brought
Jovi, Sting, George Michael, and garish prints, and overdone bling, forte in everything —from a gar- making tattoos a major pop-culture in her personal sensibility to the
Hugh Grant on the front row of his inspired by the punk era and the pop ment’s form to its fabrication. He was phenomenon. For the showcase of brand. She has, nevertheless,
shows, his bold and extravagant ad art movement, to couture ramps, that the first designer to introduce dress- Versace’s Tropical Deco collection in ensured that the brand continues to
campaigns, featuring racily-clad were traditionally known to have a es made of aluminium mesh and was the ’90s, Naomi Campbell had the stand for the what Gianni built it to
models, film stars, and rockstars — ceremonial air about them. also the pioneer in using the neo- same decorative motifs of her gar- be — glamorous, sensuous and a
Versace never quite believed in keep- That said, his creations main- couture laser technology to fuse ment, on her skin. Years before the whole lot of fun!  n

EVENT: u TRUNK SHOW - STYLE FOR A CAUSE AT INDIA ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTRE: August 17-18; 11 am-7 pm