Few thought that any item from our wardrobe, before getting on the hanger, has come a long way. Hundreds of people work on the creation of a certain fabric color, millions of dollars are spent, and all this in order for some girl to please herself with a sky-blue sweater or emerald trousers. Even those who think that fashion does not concern them are deeply mistaken. The "great-grandmother" of any, even the cheapest, thing was originally developed in the studios of famous fashion designers. One such person is Donatella Versace. This is the main person of the Italian fashion house Versace, founded by her brother.
Childhood
On May 2, 1955, Donatella Versace was born in the Italian city of Reggio di Calabria. The biography of the girl began her story in the family of a dressmaker and merchant. The baby was the youngest of four children. In addition to Donatella, the family had an older sister, Tina (who died of a tetanus infection at the age of twelve) and two brothers: Giovanni (Gianni) and Santo. The youngest sister was the favorite of all family members. For Gianni shealways remained a muse, companion and the best critic. Already at the age of eleven, Donatella Versace was happy to wear clothes that her older brother sewed especially for her.
Closer to relatives
In the mid-70s, the girl graduated from the university and went to Gianni, who had already settled in Florence. Donatella decides to join the business of his older brother (at that time he had already founded his own fashion house) and plunges headlong into the study of knitwear and the art of cutting and sewing. Santa becomes CFO of the company.
After a while, the Versace fashion house acquires a PR director, who becomes Donatella Versace. In her youth, she was also responsible for photo shoots and all kinds of advertising campaigns. A brother's love for his sister knows no bounds. In 1995, Gianni begins to release perfumes dedicated to Donatella. "Blonde" was the name of the perfume, the muse for which was the youngest of the Versace family clan.
Shortly before this event, the Italian fashion house begins to develop a new youth clothing line called Versus. Donatella Versace receives the right to distribute this brand. Gianni did not lose at all by inviting his closest and dearest people to leading positions. Shortly before his death, he said that the three of them managed to build in a few decades what others take centuries to build.
The death of the founder of the brand
In mid-July 1997, Gianni Versace was shot dead outside his fashion house. His deathgave rise to many rumors and conjectures. Some believed that this was the work of Donatella and Santo. Others liked the version of mafia showdowns more. One way or another, but the Versace model house was orphaned. For some time, all other family members were isolated from society and placed in a private resort in the Caribbean. Versace's spring fashion show has been cancelled.
The funeral of the famous fashion designer was held in the Catholic Cathedral in Milan. More than 2,000 people attended the sad service. Giorgio Armani, Princess Diana, Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna, Naomi Campbell and many other celebrities came to see off Gianni Versace.
Rich heiress
Gianni was the most important and main figure of his fashion house. After the couturier's death, most of the company's share went to his niece Allegra, who is the daughter of Donatella. She received about 700 million dollars. The girl was able to enter into rights only after her eighteenth birthday. In addition, Allegra received her uncle's villa on Lake Como and an apartment in the best area of Manhattan.
Donatella Versace became the main figure of the fashion house, although she inherited only 20% of the entire share of the shares in her will. Older brother Santo received 10% more than his younger sister.
Fate of Fashion House
A few months after the death of her brother, Donatella presented her first own collection to the judgment of critics and viewers. The public accepted the developmentsfashion designer more than restrained. However, this in no way stopped the temperamental Italian woman. Along with working on already launched projects, Donatella began to work on finding her own style.
In one of the interviews, she said that it was impossible to continue what Gianni started indefinitely. In order to stay on the crest of fashion, you need to look for new directions. The woman made her models less sexually aggressive and more feminine. However, she did not go beyond the originally created style. Eroticism and royal sophistication have long been the main details of the recognizable image of every Versace model.
Star demonstrations
It is noteworthy that Donatella is the first couturier who began to invite celebrities as models for his shows. In this way, she carried out the process of transferring her collections to society. Following Donatella, the success of this operation was repeated by her brother, who is the owner and leading fashion designer of another branch of the House of Versace "Finanziaria Versace".
After a while, thanks to her extensive connections, Donatella showed the whole world the beauty and elegant style of the family business collections. She distributed the Versace label around the world, favoring the European and American segments. Donatella initially attracted friends for her shows: Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Jonath Rhys Meyers. Then they were joined by other stars included in the so-called "A-list". Gradually, many of the "residents"Hollywood became the face of Versace.
Getting attention
The popularity of Donatella and the entire fashion house increased after the woman created the famous "jungle dress" in which Jennifer Lopez shone at the Grammy Music Awards in 2000.
Currently, the Versace Fashion House has gathered more than forty stylists and fashion designers under its roof. About twenty clothing lines are being developed here. Three hundred boutiques and more than three thousand outlets with this name around the world present "freshly baked" novelties to the buyers' judgment.
Of course, the death of Gianni Versace shook the position of the Fashion House. However, the image and position were soon restored through the efforts of Donatella. Continuing the traditions laid down by her brother, the fashion designer also invited celebrities to the premieres of her own collections. Sir Elton John, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Moss and many others were regular guests of the shows hosted by Donatella Versace. Photos from many premiere demonstrations abound with the smiles of Hollywood and European celebrities, among whom even Prince Charles flashed.
Private life
The popularity of the Versace fashion house is growing. Donatella is still surrounded by a crowd of fans and admirers of her talent. The fashion designer has a son, Daniel, and a daughter, Allegra. With her husband Paul Beck, a fabulous life together did not work out. The couple eventually divorced.
It is worth noting that Donatella is currently addicted to plastic surgery. Of course, if the couturier's appearance changed for the betteraside, no one would even pay attention to this fact. But the figure and face of the once pretty Italian woman have changed dramatically, and not for the better. Donatella Versace before the operation was pretty cute. Facelifts, Botox injections, silicone implants somewhat disfigured her, making her look like an aged Barbie doll. Donatella Versace herself recognizes the procedures made as erroneous. Before and after the operation, you can see the woman in the photo (from right to left).
The fashion designer says she realized too late that she is first and foremost a mother of two. The desire to become a Barbie killed her natural femininity.
