Sculptural Vintage Gianni Versace Dress
View Similar Items
Sculptural Vintage Gianni Versace Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Bust: 33 in (83.82 cm)Waist: 26 in (66.04 cm)
- Place of Origin:Italy
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Water Mill, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: AU140218511164
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. 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,” Versace once explained. Instead, he had a sexy good time with fashion — as he did with life. Today, vintage Gianni Versace clothing, handbags and other accessories look astonishingly fresh and freshly relevant.
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 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.
- Robert David Morton 1970s Maxi DressBy Robert David MortonLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous red jersey maxi dress from Robert David Morton. It is sleeveless with a deep V neckline and panels of ruching crossing at the midriff and waist. It is unlined and has a ...Category
1970s American Day Dresses
$375 Sale Price44% Off - Valentino Red Silk Lace DressBy ValentinoLocated in Water Mill, NYA beautiful red lace dress from Valentino as seen on Kim Kardashian. It is semi fitted, sleeveless with all edges following the scallop lines of the flower and leaves pattern lace. It is lined in nude colored silk, the upper back closes with tiny matching mother of pearl buttons and bows...Category
Early 2000s Italian Day Dresses
- Rifat Ozbek High Low Silk Dress with Beads and Embroidery 1980sBy Rifat Özbek, OzbekLocated in Water Mill, NYA beautiful rich red high low dress from Rifat Ozbek. The cap sleeve high waist bodice is enhanced with a beaded, embroidered and sequined paisley pattern in front. It has a wide s...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Thierry Mugler New Color Block DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in Water Mill, NYA beautiful red and white color block dress from Thierry Mugler. It has short sleeves, a scoop neckline front and back and princess seaming with cleaver seaming and insets emphasizi...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
$595 Sale Price23% Off - Yves Saint Laurent Silk Caplet DressBy Yves Saint Laurent, Stefano PilatiLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous red silk dress from Yves St Laurent, YSL 2011 Resort Collection. It has a bateau neckline with a yoke from which a fabulous caplet falls around th...Category
2010s French Day Dresses
- Sophie Stibon Dress with Back Cut outs 1980sBy Sophie SitbonLocated in Water Mill, NYA fabulous red dress from French designer Sophie Sitbon. It is sleeveless with a square neckline and is semi fitted with princess seaming. The back is...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- LeSwim Red and Black Lips Print Halter Midi Dress Size SmallLocated in Paradise Island, BSFounded by Adriana Caras, LeSwim is a modern vision of luxury resort style, offering elevated swimwear and resort wear that travels beyond the beach. The clothing is made in the US, ...Category
2010s American Day Dresses
$297 Sale Price40% Off - LeSwim Red and Black Lips Print Halter Midi Dress Size XSLocated in Paradise Island, BSFounded by Adriana Caras, LeSwim is a modern vision of luxury resort style, offering elevated swimwear and resort wear that travels beyond the beach. The clothing is made in the U, o...Category
2010s American Day Dresses
$297 Sale Price40% Off - 1970s Halston Lipstick Red Silk Chiffon Vintage 70s Wrap Cape DressBy Roy Halston Frowick, HalstonLocated in San Diego, CAAmazing 1970s HALSTON lipstick red silk chiffon dress with attached cape ! Wrap style with interior snap and two hook-and-eye closures and ela...Category
1970s American Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Vicky Tiel Couture Red Lace Strapless Party DressBy Vicky TielLocated in Beverly Hills, CA80s Vicky Tiel Couture red lace strapless mini cocktail dress. Size: 4 Bust: 32"/ Waist: 28" / Length 28"Category
1980s French Mini Dress
- 1950s Silvano of Roma for Heiser Red Gold Silver Dipped Hem Silk Mini Dress TopLocated in San Diego, CAGorgeous vintage 50s SILVANO OF ROMA FOR HEISER red silk dip hem mini dress or top! Hard to find designer is hugely sought after! Features an all-over metallic brocade pattern in gol...Category
1950s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Neiman Marcus 1970s Red and Black Asian Inspired 70s Caftan Maxi DressBy Neiman MarcusLocated in San Diego, CASensational vintage NEIMAN MARCUS 1970s red and black embroidered Asian inspired kaftan / maxi dress! Lightweight red cotton, with black embroiderey at the bust, and alone every hem....Category
1970s American Kaftans