Gianni Versace was born in Reggio Calabria on December 2, 1946. He studied architecture in Calabria from 1964-1967.

When he was 25 he moved to Milan and worked as a freelance designer for Genny, Complice and Callaghan.

In 1978, Gianni Versace formed his own company, launching his first menswear collection in 1979.

About the same thime, he started a collaboration with Richard Avedon, an American photographer who would shoot all the Versace catalogs and with whom Gianni Versace will co-author several books until his death in 1997.

• Occhio d'Oro Award, Milan 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991
• Cutty Sark Award 1983, 1988
• Council of Fashion Designers of America International Award 1993

That is a very astute observation of Gianni Versace's work. He had a passion for the theater and the opera, translating the grandiose costumes and pageantry into wearable clothing.

Gianni Versace's avant-garde approach added with the sensuality of his clothes caught the imagination of the rich and famous, launching Gianni Versace's career to fashion history.

His tragic death in 1997 caught the world by surprise too. The whole world mourned the death of a great talent, the Last Emperor of Fashion.

Spring 2008 (Photo by: Giovanni Pucci)

Fall 2007 (Photo by: Giovanni Pucci)

Website: www.versace.com

Press Contact for
VERSUS
Isabel CLAVARINO
Tel: +39 02 76 09 31
Fax: +39 02 76 00 26 35

Press Contact for:
GIANNI VERSACE
Isabel CLAVARINO
Tel: +39 02 76 09 31
Fax: +39 02 76 00 26 35

Address:
VERSACE S.p.A
Headquarters
Via Manzoni 38
20121 Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 76 09 31
Fax: +39 02 76 00 41 22

Showroom:
Via Senato, 28
20121 Milan, Italy
Tel: +39 02 76 01 38 71
Fax: +39 02 76 02 13 21
Website: www.versace.com