A fashion giant with a legacy that will remain imprinted on the industry forever, Donatella Versace’s decision to take a step down at her eponymous brand marks the end of an era.
Her 28 years at the helm of Versace were fabulous, flamboyant and oversaw some of the most iconic designs the brand has ever created.
However, her stint as creative director began in immense grief, after her brother Gianni, who founded the brand, was assassinated on his own doorstep in Miami Beach in 1997, 19 years after founding the brand.
In a statement announcing she was moving into a new role, Donatella paid tribute to her late brother, whose legacy she carried during her own time as creative director.
She said: ‘Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. It’s been the greatest honour of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was the true genius but I hope to have some of his spirit and tenacity.’
As she steps down and is replaced by Dario Vitale, Donatella brings to a close a triumphant reign which changed the landscape of the fashion industry forever; but which was marred by personal grief and addiction issues behind the scenes – not to mention an ever-changing personal look.
Donatella Versace took over from her brother Gianni after he was shot in the head aged 50 while on the doorstep of his mansion in Miami Beach, after popping out to buy a coffee and a newspaper.
He had been targeted by serial killer and male prostitute Andrew Cunanan, who had taken four previous victims in a multi-state killing spree.
Donatella Versace, 69, has stepped down as creative director of the brand her brother Gianni founded in 1978. Fashion titan pictured in December
Donatella’s brother Gianni died at the age of 50 when he was shot in the head by a serial killer outside his Miami mansion in 1997. The siblings pictured in 1996 at a Versace fragrance launch
Gianni’s partner, Antonio, who had been in the mansion at the time, ran out after being alerted to the shooting, which occurred at 8.45am on Tuesday, 15 July 1997, and instructed their neighbour and friend Lazaro Quinana to run after the killer.
Speaking later about the death of his partner, Antonio said: ‘At that point, everything went dark. I was pulled away, I didn’t see any more.’
Gianni was whisked away to the hospital where CPR was performed, but he was pronounced dead. Antonio was so distraught he had to be given a sedative.
At 9.30am, Donatella called the hospital and was told her brother had passed away. She screamed so loudly it could be heard outside the Hotel de la Ville in Italy, where she’d been staying. She then fainted and had to be carried up to her penthouse suite.
Later that night, Donatella and her other brother Santo flew to Miami where they saw their late sibling for the first time in the Riverside Gordon Funeral Home.
There, they were given his personal effects – $1,173.63 in cash and a small picture of the Virgin Mary.
A week later, at the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, the Versace family held a funeral for Gianni.
Donatella’s reign at Versace saw her break out of her late brother’s shadow (pictured on the catwalk at a Milan show) and make her own name as its creative director
The créme de la créme of celebrities have worn Versace’s designs since it was founded in 1978 -but it was Donatella’s 2000 creation of an iconic flowing cut-out dress that cemented her legacy as a fashion legend. Pictured: J Lo and Donatella in September 2019 as the singer re-modelled the dress
Donatella’s ever changing look has captured fans’ attention along with her iconic designs. She is known for admitting she had Botox at the beginning of her tenure as creative director
Donatella said: ‘Gianni was killed like a stray dog. I want him to have a funeral fit for a prince.’
Elton John and Sting were among the guests who were invited to sing at the service while Donatella and Santo wept.
Speaking to Elton, Donatella said: My life is like your Candle In The Wind! I want to die!’
Gianni’s assassination marked the beginning of Donatella’s tenure as Versace’s creative director.
In a candid interview with the Guardian in 2017, the fashion titan spoke of the pressure she was under at the time – with many, including herself, unsure if she could live up to her late brother’s legacy.
‘When my brother was murdered, I had the eyes of the whole world on me and 99% of them thought I wasn’t going to make it. And maybe I thought the same, at first. My brother was the king, and my whole world had crashed around me,’ she said.
In addition to her grief, Donatella was battling a devastating cocaine addiction which took hold of her life for 18 years.
However in 2005, after a nudge from her friend Elton John, she went to rehab and managed to kick the habit for good.
‘Any addiction I have had, when I have ended it, I have done it just like that,’ she told the newspaper.
She had previously told US Vogue of her addiction: ‘I had the best time of my life. You just feel more awake, more aware. Unfortunately, it doesn’t continue like that. So I just kept doing it, every time I was in New York, in Los Angeles, mostly at parties.’
Looking back on her brother’s death, she said it has made her ‘strong’ but delivered ‘trauma’ at the time.
Donatella Versace in 2005 at the Costume Institute Gala Celebrating Chanel at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Pictured: Italian fashion designer and mother-of-two Donatella Versace attends the MTV Awards in January 1998
Pictured: Donatella Versace at the VH-1 Divas Live concert in 1998. At this time, the designer was believed to be using Botox
Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace and fashion model Naomi Campbell backstage at Versace show as part of Paris Fashion Week Haute-Couture Fall/Winter 2013-2014 in Paris
Following her brother Gianni’s assassination, Donatella battled grief and a cocaine addiction, which she beat with the help of her friend Sir Elton John. Pictured: Donatella, Sir Elton and Gianni in 1993
She recalled how, on the day of Gianni’s death, she tried to shield her children, whom she shares with Paul Beck, from news reports by turning off the TV – but they had already seen their uncle covered in blood.
‘I had to be strong for the company. But most of all I had to be strong for the family. People thought I wasn’t a warm person, but I was just trying to keep myself together,’ she said.
However, she quickly found her feet and stepped out of her brother’s shadow after taking the top job – and was behind some of the brand’s most famous designs.
Most notably, she designed the stunning cut-out, flowing gown worn by Jennifer Lopez that created Google Images in 2000 after she wore it to the Grammys.
Ex CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, revealed there were so many searches for photos of the dress after the event, it inspired the search engine to found its Images function.
In addition to the drama in her personal life and the show stopping creations she put her name to, Donatella’s three decades in the limelight have also seen her show off a look that is ever changing.
The fashion titan has been praised for her openness in use of tweakments over the years – previously admitting to having used Botox and famously saying she ‘doesn’t believe in a totally natural woman’.
Back in 2010, in an interview with LOVE magazine, she said: ‘Natural? What is natural? What is that? I do not believe in totally natural for women. For me, natural has something to do with vegetables.’
Three years later, speaking at the Vogue Festival, she said: ‘I’m not like this genetically. I use tonnes of cream and take care of my hair and skin.’
She also discussed her larger-than-life personal style – although suggested she doesn’t think she dresses any more extravagantly than others in the industry.
‘My style is not that big, I wear heels, tight pants and I wear diamonds,’ she said.
Her look has changed significantly over the years, with experts previously telling FEMAIL they believed she’d likely had Botox injections and fillers from the late 1990s, which continued through the 2000s.
Experts also suggested she was opting for fake tan and hair extensions to enhance her sun-kissed glow and golden blonde locks.
In 2008, Donatella was pictured looking considerably younger than her 53 years at the Cannes Film Festival – leading to speculation she had gone under the knife in a bid to remain youthful.
Analysing a photo of her from the time, Dr Perry said: ‘[Donatella’s] overly inflated lips are still very much the focus but the eyes look more youthful and less hooded.
As the years passed and Donatella’s look continued to change, the experts also suggested she may have undergone a nose job and a breast augmentation.
Pictured: Designer Donatella Versace attends the amfAR New York Gala 2017, where she sported a blonde fringe
Donatella Versace attends the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards 2023 during the Milan Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show
Dr Perry said of Donatella’s appearance in 2023: ‘Her eyes look different and I would suspect she’s had a fox eye lift’
Pictured: Italian designer Donatella Versace attends Pride Live’s 2019 Stonewall Day on June 28, 2019
In December, Donatella sent fans wild with a drastically new look as she stepped out in London to watch Vanessa Williams perform as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre on the West End.
After posting a snap of herself debuting a youthful glow on Instagram, Donatella’s followers went into a meltdown over her new look, calling it ‘the biggest upgrade in history’.
‘People, someone needs to find out who this doctor in Hollywood is who is performing these miracles,’ one said.
The Italian fashion designer stunned on the red carpet in a sheer, heavily-embellished bronze mini dress with a black sweetheart neckline bodysuit underneath.
Donatella paired her sheer dress with knee-high brown leather platform boots.
However, despite another powerful reinvention, Donatella’s fortunes appear to have reversed as she steps down from her role amid ‘issues’ between her and the company which bought out the label in 2018, Capri Holdings.
A statement from the brand on Thursday announced Donatella will move into the role of chief brand officer from April 1 – which fashion observers say is a far lesser role.
‘In her new role she will dedicate herself to the support of Versace’s philanthropic and charitable endeavours and remain an advocate for the brand globally,’ the statement said.
Sources close to both parties say that things have been ‘very difficult’ between Donatella and Capri for some time despite her being hailed as the saviour of the brand by attracting A list celebrities to wear her clothes and post about them on Instagram.
A fashion insider told the Mail: ‘Versace now faces an enormous risk without her. Versace is now Donatella-less Versace and that now begs the question that without her designs and relationships with talent, who will wear the brand now?
‘She has had a huge cultural impact in the fashion world that she has even watched her own creations have a rebirth, like JLo’s green dress.
‘Donatella has always been the curator of talent around Versace – she brought in Madonna, Whitney and others during the Gianni era and continues to do that to this day – truly a pop culture barometer. How many female designers have grown a company that is worth $2.1 billion dollars?
‘No one can dispute that Gianni was a genius – but also no one can dispute Donatella’s success with Versace after her brother’s passing.’
Speaking of replacing Donatella, former Miu Miu design director Vitale said: ‘I am truly honored to join Versace as the chief creative officer and to be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury house created by Gianni and Donatella.
‘The House of Versace has a unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion.
‘I want to express my sincere thank you to Donatella for her trust in me, and for her tireless dedication to the extraordinary brand that Versace is today.
‘It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise and dedication.’
