You Need To Know-Designer Donatella Versace.Personal life
Early life and fashion debut
Versace was born in the Italian city of Reggio di Calabria, the youngest of four children in her family, her father being a personal financier to the Italian aristocracy. An older sister, Tina, died at the age of twelve from an improperly treated tetanus infection.In the mid 1970s, Donatella followed her older brother, Giovanni ("Gianni"), to pursue knitwear design in Florence, Italy. Donatella had planned to work for her brother as Public Relations, but she was more valuable to Gianni as a "muse and critic," according to Donatella during an interview with Vogue.Through her closeness to her brother's enterprises, Donatella plunged into the fashion world. A decade later, during the 1980s, Gianni launched a perfume dedicated to her, Blonde, and gave her her own diffusion label, Versus, which remains a well-known Versace inner line.
Family and residence
Donatella and her former husband, American model Paul Beck, have two children: daughter Allegra (b. 30 June 1986, and son Daniel Versace (b. 1989). She is also the aunt of oldest brother Santo's two children, Francesca Versace, and Antonio Versace.
Donatella's deceased brother, Gianni Versace, had a large collection of homes worldwide that have since been sold, most notably his Manhattan, New York double-wide townhome, valued at over US$21,000,000. Donatella Versace does not permanently live at any one residence, but travels from one to the other.
Murder of Gianni Versace
On 15 July 1997, outside the re-constructed Versace Mansion, also known as Casa Casuarina, in Miami, Florida, Gianni Versace was shot dead by Andrew Cunanan. A multi-continent search ensued for the suspected spree killer, but Cunanan avoided capture by committing suicide a few days after the death of Gianni Versace. In the aftermath of the highly publicized murder and manhunt, most of the Versace family (including Donatella) moved temporarily to a secluded private resort in the Caribbean, cancelling the Versace Spring-Summer 1998 Collection as well as their indirect operations of the company.
The official funeral of Gianni Versace was held in Milan Cathedral. More than 2,000 mourners attended the traditional Catholic service, which was also broadcast to millions of viewers worldwide. Among the many famous fashion designers and other celebrities in attendance were Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld, Diana Princess of Wales, Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Courtney Love, Luciano Pavarotti, Carla Fendi and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, while Sir Elton John and Sting performed a musical setting of the 23rd Psalm.
Heiress to the throne
It was in 1997, while watching television, that Allegra Versace saw the familiar face of her uncle, Gianni, on the news station and found out that he had been murdered. Gianni had been the highest figure in the Versace Group, leaving no one to rule the vast network of clothing lines and branches of his company. His testament stated Allegra Versace was to receive majority inheritance and titles.
Allegra Versace inherited $700 million from her uncle Gianni on her eighteenth birthday. Allegra was also given Gianni's villa on Lake Como, and a large townhome in one of Manhattan's most affluent neighborhoods. To this day she stands to inherit the company, as her brother, Daniel, inherited Gianni's vast rare artwork collection (since sold). While the Versace Group is not as financially robust as it was in its earlier and peak stages, the Versace Group has publicly made clear that Donatella and Allegra Versace will hopefully bring a new face and attraction to the Versace label.
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