1990s Gianni Versace Couture mini evening bag with crystal handle
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Austin, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1618463612
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.
Gianni Versace Couture
Subversive, maximalist and unabashedly seductive, Gianni Versace’s (1946–97) designs infused high fashion with an entirely new ethos. “I don’t believe in good taste,” the legendary Italian couturier once explained. Instead, he had a sexy good time with fashion — as he did with life.
Today, vintage Versace clothing, handbags and other accessories look astonishingly fresh and freshly relevant. The designer debuted his Atelier Versace line — which was part of the first Versace haute couture collection — in 1989.
More than any designer before him, Versace mined celebrity, music and Pop art for inspiration. In fact, 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! '90” — the moment when the two worlds of fashion and pop culture became one, changing both forever.
Versace was born in Reggio di 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, Versace 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 1989's Gianni Versace Couture — 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. This 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 Couture bags, dresses and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Austin, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- 1980s Edouard Rambaud Mini Satin Evening Bag with CrystalsBy Edouard RambaudLocated in Austin, TX1980s Edouard Rambaud Mini Satin Evening Bag with Metal Handle with Crystals. Condition: Excellent. 7.5"L x 5.5"W x 5"HCategory
1980s French Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Renaud Pellegrino for Harry Winston Evening BagBy Renaud PellegrinoLocated in Austin, TXRenaud Pellegrino for Harry Winston mini evening bag with amber beaded strap. Condition: ExcellentCategory
1990s French Evening Bags and Minaudières
- 1990s Tiffany & Co Satin Cube PurseBy Tiffany & Co.Located in Austin, TX4” satin cube purse from Tiffany & Co. Made in Italy Condition: Very good, some discoloration on interior lining.Category
1990s Unknown Evening Bags and Minaudières
- 1990s Alaia Black Sheer Criss Cross DressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Austin, TX1990s ALAIA BLACK SHEER PANELING CRISS CROSS DRESS Condition: Excellent sz SmallCategory
1990s French Cocktail Dresses
- Jean Paul Gaultier mini dress 1990sBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Austin, TXJean Paul Gaultier stretch mini dress with mock neck from the 1990s 100% rayon Sz L / US 10 / IT 46 32" bust, 28" waist, 31" hips, 33" leng...Category
1990s French Day Dresses
- 1990s Jean Paul Gaultier Silk Tie with Eye Ball PrintBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Austin, TX1990s Jean Paul Gaultier silk tie with eye ball print Condition: excellent 100% silk Made in Italy 3.75" widthCategory
1990s French Neckties
- Kathrine Baumann Leopard Design Swarovski Crystal Minaudiere Evening BagBy Kathrine Baumann Beverly HillsLocated in Tustin, CAExquisite handmade designer, Kathrine Baumann, who is the celebrated handbag maker to the stars, leopard pattern pillow shaped minaudière, evening bag...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Chanel Orylag Triple Chain Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBA stylish and Chic Chanel Orylag flap bag from the Fall/Winter 2015 Act 1 Collection. The exterior of this bag features a navy orylag fur with antiqued s...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Evening Bags and Minaudières
- Chanel Black Velvet 2.55 Backpack, c. 1994-96By ChanelLocated in Westport, CTChanel Black Velvet 2.55 Backpack, c. 1994-96Category
1990s French Backpacks
- Chanel vintage black satin cc logo letter evening clutchBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLVery RARE classy and sophisticated while still maintaining an edgy feel CC metal frame magnetic closure interior is lined with CC monogram microfiber interior has interior pocket C...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Clutches
- Chanel 1990's NEW brown crocodile envelope clutchBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLGorgeous 24k large gold plated cc turn-lock closure Original tags from 1990's Barneys are still attached Collectors Item RARE interior brown lambskin lining that shows about 3 faint...Category
1990s Italian Clutches
- Chanel 2011 Rare Soft Lambskin Black Hand Slide Butterfly Ornament Clutch FlapBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Rare Soft Lambskin Black Hand Held Slide Butterfly Ornament Clutch Flap Year: 2011 Silver hardware Slide in hand butterfly detail Silky microfiber soft black interior Strap ...Category
2010s Italian Evening Bags and Minaudières