Throughout the Nineties the Versace name was almost indelibly linked with the stars. Gianni Versace was the man who designed the clothes for everyone from Diana, Princess of Wales to Madonna, Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley – who made an unforgettable hit in that safety pin dress at the 1992 premiere of Four Weddings And A Funeral. Versace was influential in the creation of the supermodel, making models such as Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell household names.
Now, five years after he was shot dead outside his Miami home, the designer is to be celebrated with a major retrospective exhibition at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, comprising 130 designs spanning his three decade career. Versace at the V&A will run for a three month period from October 17 to January 12. It will be the largest exhibition the museum has ever dedicated to one designer and will be opened by his sister Donatella Versace - who became creative director of the Versace empire after his death.
“I am thrilled to be returning to the V&A for this second Versace exhibition, the largest Versace display that has ever been staged,” she said in Milan earlier this week.
“I opened the Versace archive completely and suggested some pieces to the museum which I feel characterise my brother’s artistic talent throughout the years and I am very happy they have been included.”
Versace’s clothes were beautiful displays of wealth, rampant glamour, sexual power and excess, sparkling from jewelled cleavages to rhinestoned stiletto heels. Donatella’s personal favourite pieces include a jewelled catsuit, a spring/summer yellow and black crocodile outfit worn by Linda Evangelista, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s dress from the 1991 production of Capriccioat the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
Other major themes include a “Ballroom” area which will dedicated exclusively to jewelled and embroidered couture garments and classical evening wear, and as areas devoted to leather creations, tailoring and printed fabrics, many of which will be exhibited on mannequins designed by Versace himself.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
