Versace

About Versace

Versace is an Italian luxury house founded in Milan by Gianni Versace in 1978. From fashion and interiors to fragrance, it is built around the idea of fearless, unrestrained self-expression.

History

Born in Calabria in southern Italy, Gianni Versace learned his craft in his mother's dressmaking workshop before moving to Milan to work as a designer. He presented his first collection under his own name in 1978 and opened his first boutique on Via della Spiga in the same year. The first Versace perfume followed in 1981, and after Gianni's death in 1997 his sister Donatella led the creative direction of the house.

Philosophy & Signature Style

Versace is recognised for vivid prints, gold detailing and tailoring that celebrates the body. The Medusa emblem and the Greca key pattern draw on the classical Greek heritage of Gianni's native Calabria, linking the house to antiquity. Classical beauty and Mediterranean brightness sit alongside strength and sensuality, a balance that carries from the runway into its fragrances.

Iconic Fragrances

Since 2005 the Italian fragrance company Euroitalia has held the Versace licence, launching Bright Crystal in 2006 and Eros in 2012. Named after the Greek god of love and presented in a sculptural bottle, Eros has become one of the most recognisable scents of the house, while Bright Crystal remains a long-running floral favourite.