Gianni Versace's Unique Art Collection
Learn about the life and art of Gianni Versace, one of the most well-known celebrity art collectors.
Gianni Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, on December 2, 1946. He was the son of a seamstress and a tailor. At a young age, Versace showed a talent for fashion design. He began working as a designer in the early 1970s and quickly gained a reputation for his glamorous designs.
In 1978, Versace launched his own fashion label, which soon became popular among celebrities and the wealthy elite. His clothing constructions were often extravagant and flamboyant, and they quickly became synonymous with luxury and glamour.
Versace was also known for his trend-setting styles. He was one of the first designers to popularise the use of bright colours and bold patterns in fashion. His aesthetic helped to define the 1980s as a decade of excess and glitz.
In the world of fashion, Gianni Versace was a titan. But what many people don't know is that Versace was also an avid art collector. His collection included works by some of the most famous artists of all time, including Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The worlds of fashion and art have long been intertwined. Many fashion designers are also artists, and many artists are also fashion designers.
Versace was a perfect example of this overlap. He was not only a world-renowned fashion designer but also an accomplished artist. His art collection reflected his dual passions for fashion and art.
Gianni Versace kept his art collection in a dedicated art gallery at his home in Miami. This allowed him to enjoy his artworks whenever he wanted and allowed his guests to view them as well. Versace favoured Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism. He was drawn to the bright colours and bold designs of Pop Art, and he admired the emotional intensity of Abstract Expressionism. These two styles were also a perfect match for Versace's flamboyant personality.
It's Windy Today 1 - Rosie Cunningham
£350.00
Type | Original Art
Size | 91cm x 71cm
Ready to hang | Yes
Frame | No
Signed | Yes
Materials | Acrylic on Canvas
Shipping | Ships from U.K
Not long before his death, Versace commissioned American artist Frank Moore a painting he was never meant to see. The work, entitled To Die For depicts an elegant grey marble floor with a broken Gucci cologne bottle and a Polaroid photograph in the centre as well as one figure - Kate Moss- lying on it all; her head sliced off from her body with snakes instead of hair, growing from the roots up top. This takes us back centuries ago when she was just another victim caught within Greek mythology but now here lies another sculpture seen longingly before us: Medusa.
One of the most notable pieces in Gianni Versace's art collection was an Andy Warhol painting of Marilyn Monroe. The piece, entitled "Marilyn Diptych," sold for $32 million at auction. This was one of the highest prices ever paid for a work by Warhol. Also included in the sale was a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting entitled "Untitled (Boxer)." This work sold for $27.5 million, making it the second most expensive piece in the sale. These two paintings alone brought in nearly $60 million. But they weren't the only notable pieces in Gianni Versace's art collection. The collection also included works by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, and Keith Haring. In total, the auction brought in nearly $350 million. It was one of the most successful art auctions ever held.
“To Die For” by Frank Moore, 1977
(Commissioned by Gianni Versace but he never lived to see it)
Following Versace’s passing, his fashion empire was taken over by his sister, Donatella Versace. Donatella is also passionate about art. In 2001, she opened an art gallery in Miami which showcased her own art collection as well as works by her brother Gianni. The gallery was called the "Gianni and Donatella Versace Collection.” Donatella's art collection also focuses on Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism and has been quoted as saying that "Pop Art is about happiness...it's about joy."
In 2006, the "Gianni and Donatella Versace Collection" closed its doors to the public. However, the artworks from the collection are still occasionally exhibited around the world.