Donatella Versace

Donatella Versace

“I never, ever wear flats. Every time I wear them I fall over!”
- Donatella Versace

In 1997, Gianni Versace was shot and killed on the steps of his Miami mansion.

He was the founder of the Versace fashion house.

Donatella, his younger sister, creative partner, and lifelong muse, was suddenly thrust into the top job.

No one thought she could lead.

She was the blonde sidekick. The sister. The socialite.

But she’d been by his side the entire time.

She helped launch the brand in 1978, became Vice President, and collaborated on every collection.

In 1989, Gianni dedicated a perfume to her called Blonde, and gave her control of the Versus line.

And when Gianni battled cancer in 1996, Donatella quietly began taking over major creative decisions.

Then came the murder.

She went dark for a year.

Retreated to a private Caribbean resort with her family.

When she came back on July 18, 1998, she debuted her first haute couture show.

She built a transparent runway over the swimming pool of the Hôtel Ritz Paris.

It was a tribute to Gianni.

From that moment on, Donatella didn’t just preserve the brand.

She expanded it into a full lifestyle empire: accessories, home furnishings, resorts.

She turned Versace into a global symbol of luxury, glamour, and unapologetic excess.

She styled everyone.

From Madonna to Demi Moore, Christina Aguilera to Lady Gaga.

She also designed Jennifer Lopez’s 2000 green Jungle Dress.

Which got so much attention, it literally inspired the creation of Google Images.

It was downloaded over 600,000 times within 24 hours.

She made cameos in Zoolander.

Lady Gaga wrote a song about her.

Penélope Cruz played her in The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

She led the company as Creative Director and CEO for nearly a decade.

She kept full creative control until 2025.

She became the public face of the brand and remained on the board for nearly three decades.

Along the way, she battled addiction.

She was hooked on cocaine for 18 years.

She got clean in 2005, and kept creating.

That 2022 Grammys skit with Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion? That was her idea.

That Met Gala dress for Cardi B in 2022? Her team.

The 2023 pearl-studded tweed gown Anne Hathaway wore to the Met? Versace.

And in 2017, she staged a full tribute show to Gianni himself, bringing back the original supermodels for one final, glittering walk.

She also gave back. Constantly.

She donated proceeds from South Beach Stories to ANLAIDS.

She staged a $1.8M fundraiser for women’s cancer research in California.

She partnered with Jet Li’s One Foundation after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

And in 2021, she and her daughter Allegra donated £200,000 to Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital during the COVID pandemic.

In March 2025, she announced her decision to step down as Creative Director of Versace.

She’ll remain the brand’s ambassador, but her creative reign ends after 28 years.