The exhibition features looks worn by Princess Diana, Kate Moss, George Michael, and Elton John.
Gianni Versace met a grim end 28 years ago in the hands of a cold-blooded murderer. His legacy, however, continues to be celebrated in the fashion industry.
A day after his death anniversary, an exhibition was launched in honor of the Italian designer’s enduring influence. The “Gianni Versace Retrospective” gathers over 450 of Gianni’s original vintage pieces in what is probably the largest retrospective ever staged in the United Kingdom, per the exhibit’s official website.
Hosted at Arches London Bridge, the exhibition includes iconic looks worn by Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elton John and more.
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Gianni Versace: A man ahead of his time
Gianni is known for founding his namesake brand Versace in 1978. Almost half a century later, the brand is still among the most esteemed in the luxury fashion industry, largely owing to the efforts of younger sister Donatella, who worked and fought hard to keep her brother’s legacy alive. Early this year, she announced she was stepping down as chief creative officer of the house, a role she has held since Gianni’s murder in 1997.
The elder Versace established his name in the ultra-competitive fashion world through his bold designs and ensembles that oozed sensuality and sexuality. Among his most famous creations included provocative bondage gear, polyvinyl chloride baby-doll dresses, and silver-mesh togas.
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Gianni’s critics once considered his flashy designs “vulgar.” The Cantabria-born designer, however, was never afraid to push boundaries; he staged his fashion shows like rock concerts or Hollywood premieres. In fact, he’s considered to be the first designer to have harnessed the power of celebrity, blending high fashion with elements of pop culture and rock music along the way. In doing so, he made fashion feel glamorous yet attainable, luxurious yet accessible. This may seem common practice nowadays, but in his time, Gianni was first of his peers.
Among his A-list muses were OG supermodels Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell, as well as the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who passed away in an accident a month and half after Gianni’s murder. Gianni was widely credited for the birth of the “supermodel,” agreeing to pay Crawford, Evangelista, Campbell, and Turlington up to $30,000 each to appear in his shows, which sent shockwaves across the fashion and entertainment industries. His Fall/Winter 1991 show in Milan saw all four models sashaying on the catwalk together, a moment that has gone down in history as one of fashion’s most unforgettable.
Over his 25-year career in fashion, Gianni also forged friendships with musicians Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Elton John, and Tupac Shakur.
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An enduring sartorial legacy
Gianni’s creations were a reflection of his personality: bold, opulent, and sensual. He was also responsible for some of the most gorgeous silk shirts of the 1990s, with Elton John owning every single print, per a report on CNN. In a promotional video for Christie’s last year, Elton described them as works of art. “I never wore half of them, I just wanted to hang them. It was like an art installation with shirts, and it looked so beautiful.”
Bits and pieces of Gianni’s sartorial legacy, including some of those much lauded silk shirts, are on display at “Gianni Versace Retrospective.” Expect bondage style clothing, safety pinned dresses, playful party frocks, and luxurious baroque prints. There accessories, sketches, interviews, and photographs, too. The items are pulled from different private collections, including looks worn by Princess Diana, Kate Moss, George Michael, Naomi Campbell, Elton John, among others.
Forming the exhibition’s core are 21 collections from Spring-Summer 1988 through Fall-Winter 1997, the last show before Gianni was murdered in Miami on July 15, 1997. These are curated in chronological order, so that moving from one capsule to the next gives visitors a seamless look into the evolution of Gianni’s creative genius. “There is a Versace who is very conservative, there is a Versace who is very crazy, there is a Versace who is very theatre …I haven’t decided yet which I choose to be,” Gianni was once quoted as saying.
Gianni Versace may have passed from this world for close to three decades already, but his legacy continues to inspire today’s fashion designers and those in the many more years to come.
The “Gianni Versace Retrospective” runs through March 2026 at the Arches London Bridge. You can buy your tickets here.
