Some designers dress you. Gianni Versace dressed you for the moment the whole room turned around.
Gold. Medusa. Baroque prints loud enough to have their own entrance music. Safety pins holding a dress together, and somehow holding up an entire decade. And yes, one jungle-print gown that made a teenage me hunt down a seamstress so I could have my own. Versace isn't subtle, and thank goodness, because subtle never made anyone feel like that.
THE STORY
Gianni Versace grew up in Calabria, in southern Italy, learning his craft beside his mother in the family tailoring shop. In February 1972 he left Reggio Calabria for Milan, and in 1978 he founded his label, Gianni Versace Donna, opening his first boutique on Milan's Via della Spiga that same year.
He chose Medusa from Greek mythology as his emblem, a nod to his Calabrian roots in what was once Magna Graecia, the Greek colonies of southern Italy. The message was clear: once you look, you can't look away.
In the 1990s, Versace was at the centre of the supermodel moment, putting Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington in the spotlight. In 1994, Elizabeth Hurley wore his black dress held together with gold safety pins to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral, and a star was made overnight.
Gianni's life was cut short in 1997. His sister Donatella became creative director and carried the house forward for decades. In 2000, Jennifer Lopez wore the plunging green jungle-print Versace gown to the Grammy Awards, and the image travelled around the world. In 2025, the Prada Group acquired Versace, beginning a new chapter for the house.
SIGNATURE PIECES
Baroque print silk shirts: gold scrolls and bold colour, the house's signature.
The Medusa: on buttons, belts, earrings and hardware.
Body-conscious evening dresses: plunging, draped and made for the spotlight.
Gold safety pins and chain details: glamour with an edge.
Versus Versace and Versace Jeans Couture: the younger lines, and a smart way into vintage Versace.
FUN FACTS
He learned to sew in his mother's tailoring shop in Calabria.
His first boutique opened on Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978.
The Medusa logo honours the Greek history of southern Italy.
Elizabeth Hurley's safety pin dress was voted the most iconic dress of all time in a 2008 UK poll.
J.Lo's green jungle dress from the 2000 Grammys ranked in the top five of the same poll.
WHO IT'S FOR
Maximalist · 90s Supermodel · Party Girl
Versace is for the woman who wants to be the main event. If you're a minimalist, start with one gold Medusa detail, like earrings or a belt, on an all-black look.
HOW I'D WEAR IT
(Birthday Dinner) For a rooftop birthday dinner, I'd pay homage to the dress that started it all for me. A green jungle-print silk chiffon shirt dress, unbuttoned at the neck and belted at the waist with a gold chain belt, so it floats when I walk. Then fuchsia satin strappy heels, a small fuchsia satin bag and big gold baroque medallion earrings. Green and fuchsia is a colour clash that only works when you commit to it, and Versace taught me to commit. It's the J.Lo moment, grown up.
HOW TO FIND IT VINTAGE
Search terms:
"vintage Gianni Versace baroque silk shirt"
"vintage Versace medusa earrings"
"Gianni Versace Couture vintage"
"Versus Versace vintage"
"Versace Jeans Couture vintage 90s"
"vintage Versace jungle print"
Tips:
"Gianni Versace" labels date from before 1997 and are the most collectible.
Versace is heavily copied. Buy from sellers who authenticate, or have it authenticated yourself.
Check the Medusa hardware and buttons for wear, and make sure none are missing.
Silk prints fade in sunlight. Ask for photos in natural light.
IF YOU LOVE VERSACE, ALSO SEE… Roberto Cavalli · Gucci by Tom Ford · Hervé Léger
Sources:
Versace (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Versace
XOXO,
