Gianni Versace (1946–1997) grew up in his mother’s dressmaking workshop in Reggio Calabria and built the loudest, sexiest label in Milan: baroque gold prints, metal-mesh dresses, bondage straps and the Medusa head. He invented the supermodel moment on the runway and dressed rock stars, princesses and Hollywood before red-carpet dressing was a business. After his murder in 1997, his sister Donatella ran the house for 27 years, giving it the jungle dress, the safety-pin revival and a new generation of fans. Since 2025, Versace has belonged to the Prada Group, and Pieter Mulier took creative charge in July 2026. This guide maps the defining collections and links to every Versace show we have reviewed.
Versace at a glance
| Founder | Gianni Versace, born 2 December 1946, Reggio Calabria; died 15 July 1997, Miami |
| First collection | March 1978, Milan |
| Designers | Gianni Versace (1978–1997), Donatella Versace (1997–2025), Dario Vitale (2025), Pieter Mulier (2026–present) |
| Lines | Versace, Atelier Versace couture, Versus, Versace Jeans Couture, Versace Home |
| Owner | Prada Group (since 2025); previously Capri Holdings (2018–2025) and the Versace family |
| Signatures | Medusa head, Greca key pattern, baroque gold prints, Oroton metal mesh, safety pins, body-con cuts, supermodels |
Timeline: the house of Versace
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Gianni moves to Milan to design for labels including Genny, Complice and Callaghan |
| 1978 | First collection under his own name |
| 1982 | Introduces Oroton, a liquid metal mesh fabric |
| 1989 | Launches Versus and shows Atelier Versace couture in Paris |
| 1991 | Fall 1991 finale: Linda, Cindy, Naomi and Christy lip-sync George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90” |
| 1994 | Elizabeth Hurley wears the safety-pin dress to the Four Weddings and a Funeral premiere |
| 1997 | Gianni is shot dead outside his Miami home on 15 July; Donatella takes over |
| 2000 | Jennifer Lopez wears the green jungle-print dress to the Grammys |
| 2017 | Spring 2018 tribute to Gianni closes with the 1990s supermodels in gold |
| 2018 | Sold to Michael Kors’s group, renamed Capri Holdings |
| 2025 | Donatella becomes chief brand ambassador; Dario Vitale designs one collection; the Prada Group buys Versace |
| 2026 | Pieter Mulier, formerly of Alaïa, becomes chief creative officer on 1 July |
Every Versace collection we have reviewed
Gianni Versace, 1978–1997
- 90s Versace: The Best Ever – the decade’s key runway looks
- Iconic 90s Versace ads – the Avedon and Meisel campaigns
- Absolut Versace, shot by Herb Ritts
Donatella Versace, 1997–2025
| Season | Our take | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2002 | Seductive Reverie | Read |
| Spring 2003 | Chromatic Fusion | Read |
| Couture Fall 2003 | Versace’s Couture Manifesto | Read |
| Spring 2004 | Girlcore Extravaganza | Read |
| Fall 2005 | Fusion of Eras | Read |
| Spring 2007 | Versace’s Feminine Fantasy | Read |
| Spring 2008 | Feminine Finesse | Read |
| Spring 2009 | Sculpted Seduction | Read |
| Spring 2011 | Sensual Symmetry | Read |
| Fall 2013 | Versace’s Vinyl Verve | Read |
| Spring 2014 | Chic Rebellion | Read |
| Spring 2018 | A Tribute to Gianni Versace | Read |
| Spring 2019 | Flower Power Turns Sexy | Read |
| Spring 2020 | J.Lo’s Jungle | Read |
| Fall 2020 | Flats and Hits | Read |
| Spring 2021 | Aquatic Extravaganza | Read |
| Fall 2021 | Meet “La Greca” | Read |
| Spring 2022 | Miami Mambo | Read |
| Fall 2022 | Corsets & Chaos | Read |
| Spring 2023 | Goth, Grunge & Glam | Read |
| Fall 2023 | LA Retro | Read |
| Spring 2025 | Our review | Read |
| Fall 2025 | Dear Donatella, Thank You! (her last) | Read |
After Donatella, 2025–present
| Season | Designer | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | Dario Vitale (his only collection) | Read |
The 6 collections that defined Versace
1. Oroton metal mesh, 1982
- What happened: Gianni developed a chain-mail fabric of tiny metal discs that fell like liquid silk.
- Why it mattered: It became a Versace signature and showed he was an innovator in fabric, not just in noise.
2. Fall 1991: the supermodel finale
- What happened: Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington walked arm in arm, mouthing the words to “Freedom! ’90”.
- Why it mattered: The moment the supermodel became a pop star, and the most copied finale of the decade.
3. Fall 1992: Miss S&M
- What happened: Bondage straps and buckles on black leather and silk, styled as high glamour.
- Why it mattered: Critics were split, but it pushed fetish codes into the mainstream.
4. Spring 1994: the safety-pin dress
- What happened: A black dress held together at the sides with oversized gold safety pins.
- Why it mattered: Elizabeth Hurley wore it to a film premiere and became a star overnight, the first “that dress” of the tabloid age.
5. Spring 2000: the jungle dress
- What happened: Jennifer Lopez wore a sheer green silk chiffon dress with a plunging neckline to the 2000 Grammys.
- Why it mattered: So many people searched for it that Google later said it inspired Google Images. Donatella brought it back with J.Lo herself in Spring 2020. Read our review.
6. Spring 2018: the tribute
- What happened: Twenty years after Gianni’s death, Donatella reissued his greatest prints, then brought out Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen in gold mesh.
- Why it mattered: It made the archive cool again and set off a wave of brand nostalgia. Read our review.
How to spot a Versace: signature codes
| Signature | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Medusa head | Gold buttons, hardware and logos; chosen because Medusa made people fall in love with no way back |
| La Greca | The Greek key border, in gold or black |
| Baroque prints | Gold scrolls, scarves and Barocco silk shirts |
| Oroton | Liquid metal mesh dresses |
| Safety pins | Gold pins as closures and decoration |
| Body-con | Short, tight and cut high on the leg |
| Pop art | Warhol’s Marilyn and James Dean printed on dresses, Spring 1991 |
Keep reading on Ayerhs
- Donatella Versace: the complete guide
- A–Z of Donatella Versace
- Top 100 90s fashion moments
- The Evolution of Milan Fashion Week
Versace collections: FAQ
What is Versace’s most famous show?
Fall 1991, with the supermodels’ “Freedom! ’90” finale. Spring 2018’s tribute to Gianni comes a close second.
When did Donatella Versace stop designing?
She stepped down as creative director in March 2025, after 27 years, to become chief brand ambassador. Fall 2025 was her last collection.
Who designs Versace now?
Pieter Mulier, formerly creative director of Alaïa, who became Versace’s chief creative officer on 1 July 2026.
Who owns Versace?
The Prada Group, which bought it from Capri Holdings in 2025.
Sources: Associated Press; FashionUnited; Dazed; Fashionista; Ayerhs archive reviews.
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