Versace
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Template:Cleanup-date Image:Logo versace.gif
Gianni Versace S.p.A. (pronounced Template:IPA) is an Italian fashion clothing business founded by Gianni Versace in 1978 and currently headed by Donatella Versace as creative designer and Santo Versace as CEO.
Versace is one of the world's leading international fashion houses. Versace designs, markets and distributes luxury clothing, accessories, fragrances, makeup and home furnishings under the various brands of the Versace Group.
Versace's Style Department employs a group of designers and stylists who work in teams specifically dedicated to each individual line. These teams operate under the close supervision and guidance of Creative Director, Donatella Versace.
Versace collections are distributed through a network of 240 exclusive boutiques, over 150 dedicated spaces in major department stores and duty-free areas, as well as a number of selective multi-brand boutiques in 60 countries.
Gianna Versace S.p.A. directly employs 1,500 people and provides indirect labour for an additional 5,000 worldwide.
With a broad international presence, the Versace Group had sales of €424.5 million and net earnings of €9.3 million in the 1999 fiscal year. The brands of the Versace Group include: Atelier Versace, Gianni Versace Couture, Versus Versace, Versace Jeans Couture, Versace Ceramic Designs, Versace Collection, Versace Sport, Versace Intensive, Versace Precious Items and Versace Young. It also operates a hotel, the Palazzo Versace.
Currently only Versace Couture has a runway presence, Versus Versace, a slightly cheaper, diffusion line compared to Versace Couture, was until 2003 presented on the runway. It should be pointed out that although called Versace Couture it is in fact prêt-à-porter clothes that are made in a Versace factory rather than a licensed factory throughout the world. 2004 saw Versace items being manufactured under licence in Eastern Europe in countries such as Poland; a change from the previous Italy-only manufacturing locations. Versace Couture's difference to other Versace sub-brands is its runway presence, items designed by Donatella Versace, higher quality and exclusivity of materials such as various furs and skins plus the manufacture of clothes in a Versace owned factory in Italy.
Atelier Versace, is Versace's actual haute couture line, last seen for Fall/Winter 2003. Creative Director, Donatella Versace is said to be interested in reviving the Atelier line due to the new interest in haute couture that has flourished recently with the likes of fellow Italian rivial, Giorgio Armani's Prive leading the way.
Versace Precious Items is Versace S.p.A's timepiece, jewellery and writing instrument sub-brand. Timepieces and jewellery are made in Switzerland, and writing instruments are made in France.
Some of the celebrities that have been the face for Versace are Madonna (1995 and 2005), Demi Moore, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Halle Berry is the face of Versace for Spring 2006.
Versace founder, Gianni Versace was murdered in front of the his mansion in Miami, Florida in 1997, leading to a state of shock in the Versace Company, this lead to Versace being a financial failure in the years after Gianni, under its (then new) creative director Donatella Versace.
External links
- Versace company Web site
- Palazzo Versace Gold Coast Australia- Versace Hotel
- Versace's profile in the FMD-database
- At Home with Versace Profilenl:Versace