Rare 1991 Gianni Versace Embroidered Shell Buster
About the Item
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 42 (US)Bust: 28 in (71.12 cm)
- Style:1990s (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU169129398192
Gianni Versace
The signature extravagance of legendary fashion designer Gianni Versace — forever aligned with glamour, sex, celebrity and spectacle — can overshadow the Italian couturier’s broad and deep engagement with history and culture. Today, his vintage dresses and gowns, handbags, sunglasses and other accessories look astonishingly fresh and freshly relevant.
More than any designer before him, Versace mined celebrity, music and Pop art for inspiration, and his subversive, maximalist and unabashedly seductive designs infused high fashion with an entirely new ethos. “I don’t believe in good taste,” he once explained. Instead, he had a sexy good time with fashion — as he did with life.
Gianni Versace was born in Calabria, Italy. His mother was a successful dressmaker who employed more than 40 seamstresses. As a child, little Gianni marveled at her workshop, which would become a university of sorts, where he learned the exceptional construction techniques that were at the foundation of his creative expression.
In 1972, at age 25, he moved to Milan to work in fashion. He launched his first collection — and his label — in 1978, with his older brother Santo managing the business concerns. Soon, sister Donatella, whom Gianni dressed and took to discos when she was still a child, joined the family venture, where she had a creative role and managed enormously popular ready-to-wear lines such as Versus.
Vintage Versace — and Gianni Versace Couture, which debuted in 1989 — has become catnip for modern fashion enthusiasts who seek out the now-iconic house codes that originated in the designs of the 1980s and 1990s. His glamorous and seductive apparel — the clingy skirts and slender, strappy party dresses, as well as the erotic magazine ads that publicized them — looms large, but Versace’s art and historical influences were also vast.
Versace was an art collector, and he took on commissions to create costumes for theatrical performances during the 1980s and spoke of looking to numerous cultures for inspiration. The New York Times noted in 1997 that the fashion industry “is now driven by contemporary culture because Mr. Versace made it that way.”
Insiders consider his 1991/1992 Autumn/Winter runway show — which featured supermodels Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista lip-synching George Michael’s “Freedom” — as the moment when the two worlds of fashion and pop culture became one, changing both forever.
Versace's adventurous spirit of design resulted in his creating jewel-toned prints rooted in Grecian motifs, Etruscan symbols, the Italian Baroque and Andy Warholʼs Marilyn Monroe. There were slinky dresses in Oroton, his patented chain-mail textile that draped like satin, and leather bondage ensembles. Sex sold, for both women and men. Wrote the late curator Richard Martin, “[Versace] became the standard-bearer of gay men’s fashion because he eschewed decorum and designed for desire.”
Following Versace’s tragic murder in 1997, Donatella took over the role of artistic director and continued to evolve the house codes with a twist of her feminine and feminist perspective. Today, Santo Versace is chief executive officer of Versace and Donatella is its chief creative officer.
Browse an extraordinary collection of vintage Gianni Versace evening dresses, handbags, day dresses and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: New York, NY
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- c. 1990's Thierry Mugler Couture Black Python Corset RareBy Thierry Mugler CoutureLocated in New York, NYc. 1990's Thierry Mugler Couture Black Python Corset with Red Leather Inset Panel; Boned Bodice with Red Satin Lining; Python is Supple. US size 4Category
1990s Italian Bustiers
- Halston Black Crepe Studded Tunic, c.1970s.By HalstonLocated in New York, NYHalston Black Crepe Studded Tunic, c.1970s. Halston Black Crepe Tunic featuring bateau neckline and elasticated waist. Allover studs creates a Starry night effect. Diffusion Line ...Category
1970s American Tunics
- Yves Saint Laurent Red Satin Double-Breasted Jacket, A/W 2009.By Yves Saint LaurentLocated in New York, NYYves Saint Laurent Red Satin Double-Breasted Jacket, A/W 2009. Red quilted satin double-breasted jacket with contrasting satin collar and lapel. Jacket features panelling detailing ...Category
Early 2000s French Double-Breasted Jackets
- 2002 Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent Black Cotton Peasant Blouse F38By Tom Ford for Yves Saint LaurentLocated in New York, NY2002 Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent Black Cotton Peasant Blouse F38 Lightweight black Cotton and Silk Blouse with Elongated Ties; Bishop Sleeves.Category
Early 2000s French Blouses
- c. 1970s HALSTON Orange Matte Jersey Halter Dress with Matching JacketBy HalstonLocated in New York, NYc. 1970s HALSTON Orange Matte Jersey Halter Dress with Matching Jacket; Draped U-Neckline with Cowl Back; Rouleau Strap with Hook and Eye Closure; Slit at Center Front; Short Sleeve ...Category
1970s American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Balenciaga Couture Wool Knit Cape, c.1970sBy BalenciagaLocated in New York, NYBalenciaga Couture Wool Knit Cape, c.1970s 1970s Numbered "47778" Balenciaga Couture Grey Wool Knit Cape with thick self material drawstring closure...Category
1970s French Capes
- Hermes Hussar Print Silk CardiganBy HermèsLocated in Scottsdale, AZCirca late 20th century, this unique Hermes cardigan features a Hussar Jacket print on the front while remaining thin enough to act as a cardigan, or but...Category
Late 20th Century French Blouses and Tops
- Gucci X Angela Hicks Limited Edition White Cotton 'Keepin It Real' T Shirt + TinBy GucciLocated in Scottsdale, AZDo not miss out on this limited edition Gucci tshirt with the cutest tin box that it comes in! Gucci presents their collaboration with British illustrator...Category
2010s Italian T-Shirts
- Dolce & Gabbana Red Lace Quarter Sleeve Top MBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2This one is an awesome piece from the house of Dolce & Gabbana. Fabulously crafted, this gorgeous top is crafted from lace fabric in the shade of red. Channel a bold, feminine vibe b...Category
2010s Italian Blouses and Tops
- Gucci Maroon Cotton Button Front Shirt MBy GucciLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Shirts are an indispensable part of a man's wardrobe, so Gucci brings you a creation that is both versatile and stylish. It has been tailored from cotton in a maroon shade. The shirt...Category
2010s Italian Shirts
- Givenchy Red Cotton Star Appliqued Short Sleeve T-Shirt SBy GivenchyLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Givenchy brings you a simple t-shirt elevated by the iconic star logo on the front. It has been tailored from cotton in a red shade and features short sleeves. Style the creation wit...Category
2010s T-Shirts
- Gucci X Adidas Red GG Monogram Knit Short-Sleeve Shirt MBy GucciLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Create an elevated style statement by wearing this shirt from Gucci X Adidas. It has a well-fitted shape that is made from red knit fabric, which flaunt...Category
2010s Italian Shirts