Gianni Versace: murdered fashion legend’s legacy lives on 20 years after his death

Two decades after his 1997 murder by a gunman in Miami, Gianni Versace’s innovations continue to inspire young designers. Remembered not just for his clothes but as a marketing force, the Italian was quick to tap celebrity culture and counted Elton John and Madonna among his fans. Princess Diana too wore Versace.

The fashion legend was known for breaking the rules. And unlike his peers, he was inspired by contemporary culture, taking his cues from the street.

Versace’s rags-to-riches story is the stuff of Hollywood. He grew up in the southern Italian town of Reggio Calabria, surrounded by seamstresses in his dressmaker mother’s studio. After high school, he worked with his mother before moving to Milan in 1972 and branched out on his own in 1978 after designing collections for several Italian fashion companies, including Byblos.

Drawing on his hometown’s Greek and Italian Baroque roots, he decorated his designs with elaborate motifs and prints, such as the now infamous Medusa head which covered a range of body-hugging dresses that would later become one if his signatures. The word “Versace” was plastered on almost every piece of clothing.

The look was brash, bold and unashamed to the point of vulgarity – and the fashion world couldn’t get enough of it.

Although Versace was known for his glamorous rock ’n’ roll styles, he was also an innovator. Dresses were made from aluminium mesh or leather and rubber fused together using cutting-edge techniques. One of his most memorable creations was a black dress held together by gold safety pins, which was worn by model Elizabeth Hurley. The dress made her a star overnight.