Front Cover
VERSACE
Gi·an·ni Ver·sa·ce
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ianni Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy on 2 December 1946 (“Gianni Versace”, 2020, n.p.). Versace’s apprenticeship began at a young age, by working for his mother in her sewing business. Versace moved to Milan in 1972, where he began freelance designing for Italian labels Genny, Callaghan and Complice (“Gianni Versace”, 2020, n.p.). In 1978 Versace launched, what is now an international fashion house comprised of his own ready-to-wear collection for women (“Gianni Versace”, 2020, n.p.). On July 15, 1997, Versace was tragically shot and killed outside his mansion in Miami Beach (Casa Casuarina) by Andrew Cunanan, who was obsessed with him. Versace left behind his partner Antonio D’Amico, and his legacy Versace to the hands of his family, Donatella, Santo, and Allegra.
Use of Art in Design
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ersace brought a new influence to the fashion industry, one that comes from Greek culture, and imitates in a way that speaks elegance and luxury. His style for fashion was experimental and used neo-couture technology for fusing textures such as leather and rubber to create one of a kind pieces. Versace is known as an artist, with pieces such as the one debuted on Elizabeth Hurley for her movie premier in 1997. Versace was one of the first designers to cultivate a a link between the fashion and music industry. Versace’s ability to establish his brand and design that is well versed in visuals allowed for his name to become a household name.
“fashion till death”
In the Present
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any people choose to express themselves through different mediums, and one of the primary ways that individuals choose to do this is through fashion. Fashion has be come a growing industry with pieces allowing for people to discover, create, and reconstruct new aesthetics. Living in a world where inspiration is in abundance many people look to their environment, and use their perspective to create beautiful pieces, this was not abnormal in the case of Gianni Versace. The Versace brand’s ability to stay as a fashion powerhouse even after Gianni’s death just comes to show how he was ables to dominate the market in the early stages, and establish a reputation.
The Monument
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lthough the Versace brand has branched out of just the clothing industry the monument will play homage to his beginnings as a clothing designer. It will be an in-door structure that is a dress form, made from obsidian, from Italy, since that is where he was born. Since the structure is a dress form it will allow for pieces to be fitted on it, allowing for people to appreciate fashion in its rarest art form, the creation phase. The surrounding structure would black walls and a photo projection of the Versace emblem on the floor. The first location would be in the GMU School of Art building, allowing for students in design and art to have a monument in honour of an international fashion house, with the application of a performance art. The second location would be in the Fashion Institute of Technology at New York, and the monument would also make a debut at New York Fashion week, with the first design partnering students as interns with the Versace brand.