With three decades at the helm, the news that Donatella Versace is stepping down from the brand has sent the fashion world into a tizzy. Donatella has been the matriarch of the brand since the fatal shooting in 1997 of her brother Gianni who founded the company.
The move, announced by owner Capri Holdings on Thursday, comes amid reports that Prada is moving closer to a deal to buy Versace from Capri after agreeing to a price of nearly €1.5bn (R29.77bn).
Dario Vitale, who was until earlier this year the design and image director at Miu Miu (the baby brand of Prada) is set to take over Donatella's role as chief creative officer at Versace effective from April 1 while Donatella will take on the role of chief brand ambassador.
During her time as a key figure at Versace, Donatella has had many iconic moments. Here's a look back at her unforgettable run as the powerhouse of the fashion brand.
Five times Donatella Versace proved to be a fashion icon
From recreating Whitney and Mariah's famous faux feud to supporting black stars around the globe, here's a look at what made the designer one of a kind
Image: Youtube, Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for Vanity Fair, Instagram
With three decades at the helm, the news that Donatella Versace is stepping down from the brand has sent the fashion world into a tizzy. Donatella has been the matriarch of the brand since the fatal shooting in 1997 of her brother Gianni who founded the company.
The move, announced by owner Capri Holdings on Thursday, comes amid reports that Prada is moving closer to a deal to buy Versace from Capri after agreeing to a price of nearly €1.5bn (R29.77bn).
Dario Vitale, who was until earlier this year the design and image director at Miu Miu (the baby brand of Prada) is set to take over Donatella's role as chief creative officer at Versace effective from April 1 while Donatella will take on the role of chief brand ambassador.
During her time as a key figure at Versace, Donatella has had many iconic moments. Here's a look back at her unforgettable run as the powerhouse of the fashion brand.
DUA VS MEGAN
Banking on the press-fuelled feud between singers Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, the designer dressed the pair when hosting the best male video nominees at the 1998 MTV Musica Awards. The pair arrived in what seemed like the same dress only to rip parts of them apart to reveal distinct differences.
The iconic moment was recreated by rapper Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa at the 2022 Grammys.
DONATELLA FROM THE BLOCK
Image: Jacopo Raule/Getty Images
Image: Scott Gries/ImageDirect/Getty Images
Jennifer Lopez would come close to breaking the internet in 2000 when she wore the Versace Jungle Dress made famous by Donatella herself who wore it to the Met Gala a year earlier. The dress would cause such a furore and fanfare that Google had to invent an Images tab to accommodate search requests for pictures. The print and design of the dress have inspired several remakes and merchandise with a new version 20 years later at the spring/summer 2020 show with a playful redesign.
VOGUE 100
For her appearance at Vogue's 100th birthday celebration, Donatella rocked up in a racy leather number designed for her by Gianni. The dress was a great marketing moment for the brand while the TV series American Crime Story: Versace captured Gianni's constant attempts to inspire and instil self-confidence in his sister .
FAKA IN VERSACE
Image: Instagram
With high-end designers being notorious for not supporting black up-and-coming artists, Donatella became a one of a kind with her constant designs and campaigns centring on black stars. One of them was South African music duo FAKA who got a coveted front row seat to the Italian brand's spring/summer 2019 men's wear collection in Milan. Their music was also used to showcase the pieces on the runway.
THE MOST FASHIONABLE SAFETY PINS
With her greatest claim to fame being the girlfriend of romcom legend Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley would shoot to global stardom overnight with just one dress — “that dress” as it is affectionately known. Attending the premiere for one of Grant's movies, Hurley stunned in a black mini dress with cutouts held together by large golden safety pins. The success of the dress would turn Hurley into an instant star but also helped Versace go from a relatively unknown brand to a household name. Donatella has made the dress a staple in the brand's collections since then.
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