Donatella Versace -Biography, Companies, & Facts

Donatella Versace, full name Donatella Francesca Versace, was an Italian fashion designer who served as vice president and artistic director of Gianni Versace SpA. Her contributions—both business and artistic—furthered the company’s opulent, high-end image. Versace was born in Reggio Calabria on May 2, 1955.

Who is Donatella Versace?

Donatella Versace is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur who was born on May 2, 1955. Since taking over as artistic director of the Donatella Versace company in 1997, she has managed the development of the company’s high-end clothing lines as well as its diversification into accessories, home goods, and hotels, building a luxury lifestyle brand that was anticipated to generate $850 million in sales in 2018. For a price of $2.1 billion, Michael Kors Holdings, which is now known as Capri Holdings, purchased the Versace company in 2018. Currently, Donatella Versaceand her family possess $150,000,000 ($176,000,000) in group stock.

She is in charge of the house’s whole vision, from its catwalk collections and image to its global growth and future in the digital world, in her dual roles as artistic director and vice president of the board.

What impact has Donatella Versace had on the Versace clothing line?

The legendary businessman is credited with maintaining the Atelier Versace and ready-to-wear labels’ prized position. She made her debut for Atelier Spring/Summer 1998 on a transparent catwalk held above the Ritz Hotel’s swimming pool, earning immediate praise from industry insiders.

Additionally, Donatella Versace oversaw the reinvention of the Versus line, hiring Christopher Kane in 2009 to revitalize the brand and Jonathan Anderson in 2012 to create a capsule collection for the company. Anthony Vaccarello was the most recent designer to create a capsule collection for Donatella Versace, the fashion house revealed in 2013. After this was a success, Versus Versace engaged Vaccarello as its permanent creative director, and the line’s 2014 year-over-year revenue more than doubled. He left the company in 2016.

Who Is Donatella Versace’s Family?

The youngest of four children, she is. Her mother, Francesca, was a dressmaker, while her father, Antonio, worked in sales. In Milan’s Via della Spiga, her older brother Gianni founded the first Donatella Versace store in 1978, sparking an instant sensation. Gianni hired his sister Donatella as Vice President to manage creative control as Versace quickly rose to prominence as one of the hottest fashion houses of the day. In this role, she served as an important consultant to Versace.

Donatella Versace, 50, was shot and assassinated on the steps of his Miami Beach residence on July 15, 1997, after returning from a morning stroll on Ocean Drive. Following the well reported manhunt, the majority of the Versace family, including Donatella Versace, briefly relocated to a remote private resort in the Caribbean. Donatella Versace held her first haute couture show for the brand at the Hôtel Ritz Paris three days following Gianni’s passing.

Does Donatella Versace Have A Husband And Children?

Allegra Versace Beck (born 30 June 1986) and Daniel Versace are the children of Donatella Versace and her ex-husband, American model Paul Beck (born 1989). Gianni’s daughter Allegra received a 50% share of the label upon her father’s passing.

Donatella Versace’s Accolades And Awards.

Donatella Versace was named honorary chair of the London Fashion Fringe programme in 2008, which was started by renowned journalist Colin McDowell. Donatella Versace is a prominent philanthropist who supports the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In 2010, VH1 honored Versace with the “Do Something” award for her humanitarian efforts. Donatella Versace received the “Fashion Icon” award at the Fashion Awards in December 2017, and she also earned the International award at the CFDA in 2018. She received the “Designer of the Year” award from British GQ and GQ China in the same year, as well as the “Fashion Icon Award” at the GQ Awards in Berlin. Additionally, she was honored with the CNMI Award for sustainability at the 2018 Green Carpet Fashion Awards.

The youngest of four children, Donatella Versace was born. When Tina, her older sister, passed away at the age of 12 from a tetanus infection, Donatella Versace, Santo, and Giovanni (later Gianni) took over as the Donatella Versace family’s heirs. The second-oldest, Gianni, started his profession in fashion by relocating to Milan in 1972. Donatella Versace started her language studies in Florence the following year. She went to Milan frequently to help her brother, who appreciated her opinions and insights as he started his career in the fashion industry, even though she was pursuing a teaching degree.

Donatella Versace took on the position of vice president when Gianni Versace SpA was established in Milan in 1978. Donatella Versace primarily served as Gianni’s creative director and critic from 1978 to 1997, although she also maintained control over her own brands, including Young Donatella Versace and Versus, which was discontinued in 2005 but relaunched in 2010. Versus and Young Donatella Versace both rose to prominence for the business following their relaunch. Gianni released Blonde, a Versace fragrance, in 1995 as a tribute to Donatella.

Change began on July 15, 1997, when American serial killer Andrew Cunanan shot and killed Gianni in front of his Miami Beach residence. Donatella Versace returned to Gianni Versace SpA after taking a significant leave of absence to take up the positions of chief designer and vice chairman of the board. Additionally, she acquired a 20% ownership part in the business, with Allegra Versace Beck, her daughter with Paul Beck, receiving the remaining 50%. The remaining 30% was given to Donatella’s Versace brother Santo, and her son Daniel Paul Beck was not left any of the business upon Gianni’s passing.

Donatella Versace improved the company’s reputation as vice president and artistic director because to her assured design direction and public relations expertise. She greatly expanded the company’s exposure in international markets after her brother’s passing and improved its reputation. As Donatella Versace tied the faces of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and other celebrities to the Donatella Versace line, advertising efforts surged in Europe and the U.S. Celebrities and Versace worked together to create designs. As a result of these relationships, she enjoys great social standing; Sir Elton John, Kate Moss, and Prince Charles frequent her events.

In the years following the passing of her brother in 1997, Donatella Versace oversaw the company’s design renaissance. One of her largest obstacles as artistic director, in her own words, was having to detach herself from Gianni’s inspirations and stylings in order to complete this work. She aimed to personalise the Versace style and succeeded in giving the design house praise from critics and a reputation for elegance, particularly in women’s fashion. Her design work produced items like the green dress Lopez wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards ceremony. The item was recognised as an instant classic in the history of fashion.

Donatella Versace also took part in a number of the company’s high-profile business alliances and partnerships that were created to target new markets and consumers, such as one that started in 2006 with the automaker Lamborghini and another that ended in 2011 with the apparel retailer H&M. When the Donatella Versace firm joined the real estate market in 2000 and debuted the opulent Palazzo Versace hotel in Australia, she was in charge. She also helped to make the final design decisions for Versace’s second hotel, which was built in Dubai and finished in 2015.

Donatella Versace kept up her leadership duties despite changes in the company’s ownership and management over the years. For instance, the multinational financial services corporation Blackstone bought 20% of the business in 2014, and Jonathan Akeroyd was named CEO in 2016. While Donatella Versace was expected to “continue to drive the brand’s creative vision,” it was revealed in 2018 that Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. would purchase the company for for $2 billion.