Vintage Versace Campaigns that Live in Our Heads Rent-Free

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In 1978, Gianni Versace had a vision to create the Milan-based brand, Versace. His brother, Santo and sister, Donatella, worked alongside him as they were his inspiration. In the first couple of years of his success, Versace designed clothes for film actors and won many awards for his work.

From then on, he began putting his name onto designer home furnishings and perfumes to expand his brand. In 1989, Versace released a collection that included silk leopard prints and his infamous Medusa head print. This put Versace even more on the map as he debuted his first couture collection the same year.

His brand was one of the first to bring street style glamour into the world and mix it with music and theater. He combined luxury with sex appeal, numerous references, usage of unique materials and concepts, and classicism. Many of his pieces came from Versace’s rich background in Southern Italy and the aristocracy, but he always knew how to maintain a balance between history and modern day. Versace adorned art. If you look back into some of his pieces you may recognize tributes to Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Vogue magazine. 

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Versace was determined to add risqué features to his collections like the bondage, S&M collection. Leather garments and seductive fastenings were part of the collection and still worn by celebrities today. He also created many evening styles such as the Oroton dress, shown above, which was made of lightweight metal mesh (also known as chainmail). The fabric’s fluidity hugged the body and gave a beautiful silhouette. Versace experimented with any material and pattern. From embroidered sequins, metal threads, and diamantes to slick black dresses, his many collections had their own personality but still maintained his signature touch.

Versace designed many outfits for celebrities for the next decade until a crazed fan killed him in 1997 right outside his mansion in Miami, Florida. He has rewritten the rules of fashion, intensified color palettes, and knocked the socks off other haute couturiers. His designs and character will forever be remembered and upheld by his sister, Donatella.

For a further look into his work over the years, his campaigns show a lot of what Versace created through his diverse collections.

1990, Stephanie Seymour, Karen Mulder, Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford 

1990, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington in an Atelier Versace Fall/Winter campaign 

1990, Niki Taylor for Versus Versace

1991, Yasmeen Ghauri and Christy Turlington

1991, Christy Turlington, Helena Christensen and Linda Evangelista in Fall/Winter campaign

1991, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Helena Christensen in a Versace campaign

1992, Yasmeen Ghauri by Richard Avedon in a Gianni Versace campaign

1992, Naomi Campbell for Versace 

1992, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington & Claudia Mason by Bruce Weber in a Versace Jeans Couture campaign 

1992, Christy Turlington by Irving Penn in a Gianni Versace campaign 

1992, Carla Bruni for Versus Spring/Summer campaign

1993, Stephanie Seymour for Versace Fall/Winter

1994, Kate Moss and Aya Thorgren in a Versus Versace campaign

1994, Nadja Auermann, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Stephanie Seymour, Christy Turlington and Bridget Hall by Richard Avedon in a Gianni Versace Fall/Winter campaign

1994, Doug Ordway for Versus Versace Fall/Winter

1994, Spring/Summer campaign for Versace 

1995, Claudia Schiffer and Nadia Auerman by Richard Avedon in a Versace Jeans Couture campaign 

1995, Stella Tennant for Versus Versace

1995, Versace campaign for Spring/Summer 

1995, Trish Goff for Versus Versace Spring/Summer

Kate Moss for Versus Versace Spring/Summer campaign 

1995, Amber Valletta and Shalom Harlow by Richard Avedon in the Versace Couture campaign

1996, Amber Valletta by Richard Avedon in the Versace Couture Spring/Summer campaign

1997, Tanga Moreau, Amy Wesson, Kirsten Owen and Danielle Zinaich by Bruce Weber in the Versus campaign

Yasmeen Ghauri in the Versace Jeans Couture campaign

1999, Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta, Stephanie Seymour, Claudia Schiffer and Shalom Harlow by Steven Meisel in the Versace Jeans Couture Spring/Summer campaign