Italy remains one of the two fashion capitals of the world, alongside neighboring France. This consideration credits the notable luxury brand Versace as a trailblazer for the European country’s fashionable formidability. Established in 1978 by one of Italy’s most renowned designers, Gianni Versace, the Milan-bound house of style and mode has evolved into a worldwide symbol of Italian elegance and luxury.
The fashion brand’s glamorous, lavish, swanky styles and designs have since developed into something much greater as the 21st century persists. Through its artistry, led by Gianni’s little sister Donatella, Versace continues to expand its influence and impact into various industries, including film and music. Versace’s prominence increases from designing costumes for Hollywood productions to adorning top actors and musicians for formal events and public appearances.
Versace’s Past Notable Collaborations With A-List Artists
Versace fine-tunes its creativity, extending fashionable excellence across artistic and entertainment industries. The brand boasts a lengthy history of pronounced partnerships within the musical sector. Since its inception, Versace has curated collaborations with top musical acts, co-creating collections and promoting seasonal campaigns with recognizable figures as the faces of its initiatives.
Under Gianni’s guidance, Versace teamed up with extraordinary artists, including Elton John, who would eventually become a consistent collaborator over the decades. The British singer-songwriter regularly communicated with Gianni to produce and record tracks to accompany Versace’s runway collections. These custom compositions supplemented runways like “Into The Jungle” for Versace’s 1996 Spring/Summer show.
Following Gianni’s assassination in 1997, his sister Donatella took over. She remains Versace’s artistic director to this day. As the 21st century approached, Donatella continued to commission Elton John for more seasonal campaigns alongside other household names of the 1980s and 1990s, like Madonna.
Significant Versace Partnerships of the 21st Century
As Donatella carried on Gianni’s legacy through the Versace brand, she would work with A-list musicians and actors throughout the 21st century. These public figures would become the faces of future Versace collections. One notable campaign was led by pop superstar Lady Gaga, who became a primary representative of Versace’s official S/S 2014 campaign.
In 2023, Versace confirmed a creative collaboration with model and musical performer Dua Lipa. The Albanian and British artist co-designed a pre-autumn collection with Donatella, making this partnership one of the most memorable for the Versace brand.
Dua Lipa’s “La Vacanza” collection combines Versace’s familiar designs with novel prints and patterns. The brand’s signature sketches, such as the Butterfly & Ladybug pattern of S/S 1995, blend beautifully with fresh arrangements like polka dots.
The marriage of contemporary and customary Versace designs results in 42 unique pieces that mirror Dua’s vintage glamour influences and Versace’s stylistic sophistication in the fashion space. The “La Vacanza” campaign boasts everything from black-and-white slip dresses decorated with polka dots to silk gowns and customized power suits.
Following the release of Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster adaptation of Barbie, the film’s lead Australian actress, Margot Robbie, attended the 2024 Oscars red carpet in a Versace gown from the autumn/winter ‘24/’25 collection. The strapless dress was tailored to fit Robbie’s figure with a chainmail column that flawlessly complemented the actress’s blonde locks. The overall look was an unforgettable fashion selection as she promoted the 2023 Barbie movie.
With 2024 just in rearview, one of Versace’s most recent collaborations showcases rising star Sabrina Carpenter. The petite pop princess recently released her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, in August 2024. The project featured Grammy-nominated chart-toppers “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please.”
Having completed the North American leg of her Short n’ Sweet tour, the songstress has maintained relevance through various brand campaigns, including her Versace partnership.
Sabrina Carpenter X Versace
Carpenter is Versace’s newest face. The current campaign features Carpenter’s accompanying eyewear collection, which includes one of the fashion house’s most illustrious pairs of sunglasses—the Biggie. Named after the late hip-hop/rap icon Notorious B.I.G., the Biggie shades are available at the front-running retailer Sunglass Hut.
Carpenter wore the Biggie sunglasses with a tortoiseshell print alongside gold detailing in official campaign images. Sunglass Hut additionally offers the model in several pigmentations, including pink lenses and frames or black frames and grey lenses with a silver stamp.
Versace’s Legacy Prevails Through New Ambassadors
As Versace preserves its prominence and popularity, the international luxury fashion brand continues its legacy through partnerships with global musical acts. The formidable fashion house is expanding into the Asian market with South Korean pop idols.
In 2024, the Italian label announced its latest Global Brand Ambassador, NingNing. NingNing is a member of the beloved K-pop girl group, Aespa. As the newest Versace ambassador, NingNing joins other K-pop idols in the Versace family, like Hyunjin of the boy band Stray Kids.
Looking ahead, Versace’s collaborative efforts with musicians through campaigns, collections, and runways will continue to secure the brand’s success as one of the biggest fashion names accompanying the music industry.
