Gianni and Donatella Versace

Gianni Versace was born in December 1946 in Reggio di Calabria, Italy. In addition to him, the family had two more children. His father, Antonio, worked as a seller of household appliances, then as an economist, advised many aristocratic families in Italy. And her mother, Francesca, kept her own tailoring workshop. Since childhood, Gianni was close to his mother, played with scraps of fabric, and when he grew up a little, he began to sew dolls, at the age of 9 he will sew his first dress, an evening dress, padded with velvet.

Gianni worked in his mother's clothing workshop until he was 25. “Everything I know about fashion, I learned from my mother,” he said many years later. But the relationship with her mother was not always smooth, even as a child, she singled out his older brother, and not Gianni. “I don’t know, maybe this is the meaning of my life and my work - to get her attention!” - said Gianni, already being a famous fashion designer. But ideal woman and it was his mother who always remained the main teacher of tailoring art for him.

Creation of the famous Versace brand.

At the age of 25, Gianni moved to Milan. He starts working with the Santa Margherita store, for which he sews his models. He then worked for the renowned Italian fashion houses Genny, Callaghan and Complice. And in 1978 he creates his own fashion house - Versacewhich started as a boutique on the Via Spiga in Milan. For her Fashion House, Gianni Versace chooses the head of Medusa as a trademark, a certain symbol, because she is "a synthesis of beauty and simplicity, which literally paralyzes and even hypnotizes." It is the head of Medusa that has been depicted on everything that was created by Versace since 1978.

And he created a lot. In addition to producing clothes, he was also involved in the production of theatrical props, accessories, perfumes, watches, and porcelain. He also created entire interiors from Versace.

Gianni Versace has been awarded the prestigious Golden Thimble design prize more than once. He received his first "Golden Thimble" in 1982, when he brought to the catwalk models dressed in aluminum dresses (clothes made of aluminum mesh).

Versace creates incredible and beautiful outfits for women. In the 1990s, Princess Diana appeared in public in dresses from Versace.

And it was Gianni Versace who was one of the first to single out his favorite models, it is thanks to him that the concept of a supermodel appears. It was he who began to pay double and triple fees to individual participants in his shows, to conclude long-term contracts with them.

But in his personal life, the paths of Gianni Versace and women diverged. Versace has never hidden the fact that he is gay. His life partner was the fashion designer Antonio d'Amico, with whom they lived together for 11 years.

The life of this, now no doubt, the great couturier of the twentieth century was interrupted unexpectedly and absurdly. But at the same time leaving a lot of reasons for rumors and mysteries. In July 1997, Gianni Versace left his villa in Miami to buy magazines. He was shot by Andrew Kyunenen and then committed suicide. Most likely, it was just a psycho - a loner. But many also recalled rumors that the Versace House was allegedly created with the money of the mafia.

Gianni Versace was buried on the shores of Lake Como (northern Italy), where during his lifetime he loved to spend time with his friends - Elton John, George Michael, Madonna.

The younger sister of Versace is Donatella.

Donatella Versace was born on May 2, 1956. She is 10 years younger than her brother. By the time Gianni Versace became famous, Donatella graduated from university and began working for her brother. Gianni has repeatedly called her his Muse. The older brother, who was in charge of the company's finances, also worked with them. Donatella was engaged in PR. It was she who came up with the idea, along with the models, to also invite celebrities to the catwalk.Thanks to Donatella, Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, Catherine Zeta-Jones have participated in Versace shows more than once.

Donatella was also engaged in design - first accessories, then the children's line Versace Young. And after a long time she was the designer of the Versus line, a line of youth clothing.

After Versace's death, it was Donatella who headed the Fashion House he created. And a year later, their new collection came out, the designer of which was she. Initially, the collection was received coolly. But Donatella did not give up, and soon success awaited her. She did not seek to repeat her brother, but at the same time she always retained the spirit of the Versace fashion house. And today Donatella is a recognized and respected designer in the world of fashion.

In addition to clothing, Donatella Versace has also designed several luxury hotels in Australia and the UAE. And in 2008 she tried herself as a pastry chef and released a whole series of haute couture chocolates. In the same year she was awarded the title of "World Fashion Superstar".

Donatella has two children from her ex-husband, an American fashion model who worked with Gianni Versace for some time, Paul Beck. Daughter Allegra (June 30, 1986) and son Daniel (born 1989). It was Allegra, according to the will left by her uncle, Gianni Versace, who got 50% of his business, her mother, Donatella, only 20%. So Allegra, Donatella's daughter, can rightfully be considered the heiress of Gianni Versace. And in 2004, when she turned 18, Allegra received the decisive voice in her family's business, while her mother still plays the leading role.