Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

The Meaning Behind Gianni Versace's Fashion Signatures

The Meaning Behind Gianni Versace's Fashion Signatures

From Versace's Medusa logo to its famed '90s bondage collection, founding designer Gianni Versace's lasting mark on the Italian fashion house is still felt today.

At a time when many of his peers preferred an austere minimalism, Gianni Versace stayed true to himself. The brilliant designer’s flashy signature looks set him apart from anyone else in the fashion world. With bondage-inspired gowns, brilliant prints, and metallic mini-skirts, Gianni and his namesake label pushed the boundaries of fashion. An innovator of design, when a technique or fabric that he wanted did not exist, he made it. He also changed the fashion landscape–he helped launch the supermodel and, by dressing famous musicians, became one of the first designers to really blend the music and fashion worlds. Gianni was tragically murdered outside his home in Miami in 1997 at only 50 years old, but his genius lives on through his legendary designs and through his sister Donatella’s work at the fashion house he founded. Today, the Versace label continues to reference motifs and symbols that Gianni established, building on his legacy. In honor of the late designer's birthday today, L'OFFICIEL examines the meaning behind these house codes.

Medusa


                                

Yasmeen Ghauri wears a Medusa medallion necklace on the Versace Fall/Winter 1992 runway.

                            

The Medusa appears on candy-colored accessories for Versace Spring/Summer 2021.

The house of Versace’s logo is the head of Medusa, one of three Gorgons in Greek mythology. Gianni, an art-history buff, was inspired by the Italian ruins he grew up near, and by the Greco-Roman stories that dominated much of Italian art. According to legend, Medusa was a beautiful woman who became a monster. Her flowing golden hair turned to snakes, and anyone who dared look at her face was immediately turned to stone. Though a ghastly monster may seem an odd choice for a fashion house, Versace selected Medusa to represent his brand. Before she was a monster, anyone who looked at her had no choice but to fall in love with her. After she was a monster, even those who were horrified by her could never look away. Gianni's understanding and elevation of the Medusa myth reflects his ability to reckon fashion with greater cultural themes.

Baroque Prints




Gianni himself wears a gold baroque printed Versace bomber jacket.

                    

Beyoncé's On the Run II tour featured custom Versace Barocco looks.

Gianni’s love of art history was particularly fascinated with the colorful, intricate works of the Baroque period, an outgrowth of the counter-Reformation period in which the Catholic church relied on expressive art to communicate. Drawing on the elaborate iconography and color palettes of the era, Versace created series after series of period-inspired Barocco prints, first introducing the motif for Spring/Summer 1992. Celebrities like Lil’ Kim and the Notorious B.I.G. loved these brilliant pieces, frequently wearing and referencing them until Versace’s bright designs became a part of the cultural lexicon. The designer often used silk or other reflective fabrics for these prints in order to give his designs a fluid, but metallic feeling seen in pigmented Baroque paintings. The effect is perfect for performers like Beyonce, who outfitted her whole dance crew in Versace’s Barocco print in 2018. In recent collections, the fashion house has even offered a Caravaggio, a famous Baroque painter, print.

Oroton




Models wear gold Versace Oroton dresses.

Gianni himself first invented the now-popular mesh-like metallic fabric Oroton. The chainmail textile resembles a reflective fluid metal. Versace first developed the lightweight fabric in 1982 and premiered it at a fashion show at the Paris Opera. The textile was meant to resemble traditional old-world draping, a hallmark of Versace’s garments; the designer was known for forgoing conventional sewing patterns, and instead constructing all his garments by draping cloth directly onto a model. Recently, stars like Dua Lipa and Kylie Jenner have rocked custom Oroton dresses.

Bondage


                    

Cindy Crawford models Versace's Fall/Winter 1992 Miss S and M collection.

                        

Candice Swanepoel walks the Versace Fall/Winter 2019 runway.

                        

Donatella wears a Versace bondage dress in 1993.

The Italian fashion house's designs often celebrate female sexual expression. For Fall/Winter 1992, Gianni created the Miss S and M collection, now often referred to as his bondage collection. Strappy, sexy black leather looks with metal detailing alluded to a celebration of kinky sexual preferences. The collection was polarizing. Critics felt the collection reduced women to sex objects, while others found it empowering. Donatella payed homage to the original bondage collection for Versace Fall/Winter 2019, bringing back the straps and buckles.

Gold Metal Detailing


                            

Naomi Campbell walks the Atelier Versace Fall/Winter 1992 show.

                        

Gigi Hadid wears gold jewelry for Versace Pre-Fall 2019.

Many of Versace’s collections featured heavy metal detailing. Gianni loved to push the boundaries of clothing and long before the Valentino Rockstud or the current rivets trend he was experimenting with extensive hardware. Though he did use silver, Gianni often worked in Baroque-inspired gold tones. From using chains-as-straps to designing couture pins or accenting dresses with huge metal embellishments, the designer essentially incorporated jewelry into his garments.

Pop Art


                        

Linda Evangelista models a pop art-printed Versace dress.

Gianni was inspired by pop culture, as well as by high art. The designer created an entire pop art-inspired collection for Spring/Summer 19991, incorporating Andy Warhol’s screen prints of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean into his clothing. Gianni often used the pop art technique of repeating an iconography throughout a work. He loved contemporary art, and in 2009 Sotheby’s actually sold the designer’s personal collection of 20th-century pieces for over $13 million.

Safety Pins


    

Elizabeth Hurley wears the famed Versace safety pin dress in 1994.

Elizabeth Hurley forever became a style icon when she went to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in a Versace safety pin dress. Now, the look is so famous it has its own Wikipedia page. The Spring/Summer 1994 creation was split at sides and thigh, but held together with large safety pin embellishments. Hurley actually wore the dress because she could not at the time afford to buy her own. She was Hugh Grant’s date to the event, and the actor had asked Versace to lend her a dress for the evening but the gown was the only item left in the fashion house’s press office. It fit, and paired with gold hoops and a chunky bracelet, it quickly became one of the most iconic looks of the ‘90s. Though some critics called the gown lewd, Hurley defended Gianni’s work, saying that “unlike many other designers, Versace designs clothes to celebrate the female form rather than eliminate it.” Her son Damian even created his own tribute blazer in 2019, and the safety pin motif has frequently appeared in Versace collections since Gianni's passing.

Heavy Embellishment


    

Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington wear jeweled Versace bodysuits in a campaign.

            

Zendaya wears a beaded archival Versace dress.

The brilliant designer loved using reflective materials to draw the eye. Gianni often employed heavy embellishments to create recognizable symbols and to simply create beautiful patterns. From blinged out dresses to more simple sparkling adornments, Gianni knew how to manipulate light to get attention. Plus, his original embellished designs are still beloved by stars today. Recently, Zendaya wore a vintage 1996 beaded silk Versace dress to the Green Carpet Awards.

Tropical Prints


                        

Jennifer Lopez in Versace at the 2000 Grammy Awards. J

                        

J.Lo wears a Spring/Summer 2020 version of her original Versace jungle print dress.

                        

Karen Mulder wears a seashell print cropped jacket and swimsuit for Versace Spring/Summer 1992.

                        

Alva Claire wears a seashell dress for Versace's Under-the-Sea-themed Spring/Summer 2021 collection.

Though Jennifer Lopez wore that famous jungle dress after Gianni passed, his influence is all over the infamous gown. Not only does the garment push boundaries to celebrate the female form, but it’s bright, leafy print screams signature Versace. Gianni himself loved Miami, and helped bring national attention to the local South Beach fashion scene. Given his love for the city, it’s not a surprise that he gravitated towards tropical flora and fauna prints. In the ‘90s, the designer debuted a number of seashell and starfish-printed designs, also carrying the underwater motifs to gold accessories. Donatella revived this inspiration with an Atlantis-themed Spring/Summer 2021 show.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×