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.
Pair of High-Quality Black Throw Pillows by Gianni Versace, Italy, 1980s-1990s
By Gianni Versace
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy. These pillows features a high-quality velvet foam rubber upholstery, covered in fabric with a suggestive and elegant pattern on it by La Maison Versace...
Foam, Fabric
$396Sale Price|20% Off
H 13 in W 19 in D 6 in
Moorish Style Decorative Throw Pillow by John Richard, Gold Silk, 1980
By John Richard
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Middle Eastern Moorish style decorative throw pillow with fringes and tassels. Luxury gold silk with embroidered sides and middle panel decor...
Silk
Printed Linen Throw Pillow Orbit Black
By Michele Varian
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A luxury handmade decorative throw pillow made of printed Belgian linen, great for adding comfort and casual, laid-back style to a contemporary living room, bedroom or lounge. Belgia...
Linen
House of Scalamandre Zebras Throw Pillow
By Jose Gomez
Located in Saint Louis, US
This luxury plush pillow is a product of the Art by Gomez atelier. The front is fitted with a rich sunflower yellow that supports a pattern with galloping zebras. The fabric is from the archives of the luxurious House of Scalamandre...
Velvet
Pair of Kuba Cloth Throw Pillows
Located in Chicago, IL
These hand-crafted throw pillows were designed by a local Chicago artist and textile historian who lovingly repurposes the vintage fabrics, garments and embroidery fragments she coll...
Linen, Raffia
House of Scalamandre Zebras Throw Pillow
By Jose Gomez
Located in Saint Louis, US
This luxury plush pillow is a product of the Art by Gomez atelier. The front is fitted with a rich, vibrant red that supports a pattern with galloping zebras. The fabric is from the archives of the luxurious House of Scalamandre...
Velvet
Unavailable|$125
H 16 in W 16 in D 0.25 in
Gustav Klimt The Kiss Throw Pillow, Jacquard Woven, Belgium, 1980
By (after) Gustav Klimt
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
The Kiss by GUSTAV KLIMT Throw Pillow Cushion Made in Belgium by Flemish Tapestries. Elevate Your Home with Premium Luxury Tapestry Cushion Throw Pillow Made in Flanders, Belgium Ind...
Cotton
$125 / item
H 16 in W 16 in D 0.25 in
Gustavian Throw Pillow by Flemish Tapestries, Jacquard Woven, 1980
By (after) Gustav Klimt
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
The Kiss by GUSTAV KLIMT Throw Pillow Cushion Made in Belgium by Flemish Tapestries. Elevate Your Home with Premium Luxury Tapestry Cushion Throw Pillow Made in Flanders, Belgium Ind...
Cotton
Pair of Modern Cowhide Throw Pillows, Brown and White
Located in Astoria, NY
Pair of Modern Cowhide Throw Pillows, each with zipper closure. 18.5" L x 18.5" W x 6.5" D. Provenance: From a SoHo, New York Collection.
Cowhide
Embroidered Black Silk Throw Pillow with Tassels, Indian Design, 1980
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Embroidered Black Silk Decorative Throw Pillow with Tassels A luxurious handcrafted decorative throw pillow featuring rich black silk embellished with intricate gold embroidery inspired by Moorish, Indian, and Baroque design traditions. The striking central medallion and scrolling floral motifs create an elegant statement, while four oversized tassels accent each corner, adding texture and sophistication. Beautifully crafted, this pillow combines refined artisanal workmanship with timeless decorative appeal. Perfect for a sofa, daybed, armchair, or bed, it brings warmth, color, and global-inspired elegance to both traditional and eclectic interiors. Dimensions: 19 in. H × 19 in. W × 7 in. D Materials: Silk, embroidery, tassels Origin: India Period: Late 20th Century Condition: Good vintage condition with wear consistent with age and use. A striking decorative accent ideal for collectors of luxury textiles, Moorish décor, and handcrafted artisan furnishings. Keywords / Metadata: black silk pillow, embroidered silk cushion, Moorish pillow, Indian textile, Baroque style pillow, Moroccan tassel pillow, luxury decorative cushion, gold embroidered pillow...
Silk
Bertu Pillows, Black Throw Pillow, Leather
By Bertu Furniture
Located in Oak Harbor, OH
This Mode Black Leather Throw Pillow is made in the heart of Ohio, USA with a high-grade leather front and a suede back. The pattern of the stitching between the 3 leather panels is ...
Leather, Suede
Antique Italian Brocade Throw Pillow
Located in Chicago, IL
This hand-crafted pillow was designed by a local Chicago artist and textile historian who lovingly repurposes the vintage fabrics, garments and embroidery fragments she collects duri...
Cotton, Silk
Pair of Schumacher Ayumi Performance 22" Throw Pillows
By Schumacher
Located in Medina, OH
Pair of 22" Schumacher Ayumi Performance-Denim Throw Pillows featuring a luxurious vegan-down insert. These pillows are hand crafted by our upholstery shop in Medina, Ohio using the...
Cotton, Linen, Acrylic, Polyester
Versace Medusa Gold Hand Towel, Deep Yellow, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Versace Medusa gold hand towel, deep yellow, Italy. Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, Versace towels are a must have for any contemporary and l...
Cotton
Sold
H 6 in W 12 in D 12 in
Versace White, Gold, Black Crete De Fleur Print Beach Towel, Bath Sheet, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, Versace towels are a must have for any contemporary and luxurious home. Rectangular cotton terrycloth towel...
Cotton
Versace Medusa Gold Face Towel, Large, Deep Yellow, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, Versace towels are a must have for any contemporary and luxurious home. Iconic Medusa head towel, made in I...
Cotton
Versace Medusa Gold Large Bath Towel, Deep Yellow, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, this unique 5 piece set of Versace towels is a must have for any contemporary and luxurious home. Five-piec...
Cotton
Versace Medusa Gold Hand Towel, Deep Yellow, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Versace Medusa gold hand towel, deep yellow, Italy. Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, Versace towels are a must have for any contemporary and...
Cotton
Versace Medusa Gold 5 Piece Towel Set, Deep Yellow, Italy
By Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfect for pampering yourself or your guest, this unique 5 piece set of Versace towels is a must have for any contemporary and luxurious home. Five-piec...
Cotton