Versace

The iconic designer Gianni Versace learnt the art of his craftsmanship at home. Gianni was born on December 2, 1946 in the town of Reggio di Calabria in Southern Italy. At an early age of 18 he was taught to cut and then make clothes by his mother at her clothing store. At 22 Versace began to design clothes. And local clothes maker hired him to design a collection that was sold in his mother’s store. Following this he became very well known in Milan, the centre of Italian fashion. He soon landed a job as a designer with a clothing manufacturer Florentine Flowers.

Gianni Versace opened his first boutique in Milan in 1978. He sold his own designs and those from other lines. Gianni was a big fan of very sexy, bright colours. He began to sell catsuits and miniskirts. He provided lines for various markets including that of his ‘Instante’ label, targeted at a much younger crowd for its less expensive price tag. The Versace label grew and with new collections, Gianni would only vaguely sketch out his ideas, before trusting his assistants to make the ideas wearable.

The Versace fragrance realm began in 1992, Gianni Versace released his signature scent. Fragrances that followed include, 1990's Versus for Men cologne, Blonde - which was launched in 1995, The Dreamer (the final fragrance to launch during Gianni's lifetime), 2003's Versace Man, Glam and Crystal Noir - which was a perfume industry blockbuster - in 2004. Versace Man Eau Fraiche and Bright Crystal perfumes were launched in 2005. In 2007, the company launched its latest fragrance creation, Versace by Versace.

Versace’s unique and beautiful scents have a range of different fragrances including Baby Rose Jeans is a blend of mandarin, violet, sandalwood and vanilla. Bright Crystal has notes of pomegranate grains, lotus flowers and plant amber, acajou and musk. Crystal Noir's main notes are gardenia and amber. Red Jeans is a blend of jasmine, vanilla, musk, sandalwood and lily. White Jeans has top notes of white flowers, jasmine and carnation, middle notes of lily, patchouli d tuberose and base notes of sandalwood and amber.

In 1997, Gianni Verasce was shot and died in front of his mansion. Gianni’s much loved niece, Allegra, who was only 11 years old at the time was left with the Versace name. This left control to his brother Santo and his famous sister Donatella.

Donatella Versace held her first couture show, a year after Gianni’s death. She built he own runway over a hotel’s pool, the same as her brother had done every season, this time she had used sheer glass. She oversees all the collections each year. Donatella’s most famous designed Versace clothing are displayed in a special exhibit of the historical Victria and Albert Museum of London to be honoured for extraordinary fashion success and symbolism worldwide.

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