Donatella Versace was born in the Italian city of Reggio di Calabria, the youngest of three children in her family, her father being a personal financier to the Italian aristocracy. In the mid 1970s, Donatella followed her older brother, Giovanni ("Gianni"), to pursue knitwear design in Florence, Italy. Donatella had planned to work for her brother as Public Relations, but she was more valuable Read more...

Donatella is the first designer to use notable celebrities to broadcast her clothing into the world on the catwalk and other public media such as advertisements, instead of using unknown models. Another member of the growing Versace success was Santo Versace S.p.A., Donatella's brother, who is also a fashion designer and the owner of Finanziaria Versace, an established Versace branch. Donatella Read more...

On July 15, 1997, outside the re-constructed Versace Mansion, also known as Casa Casuarina, in Miami, Florida, Gianni Versace was shot dead by Andrew Cunanan, a suspected serial-killer who committed suicide before apprehension was possible. Her brother's murder was not only a blow to the South Beach, Miami community but also to the fashion industry. Donatella and other family patriarchs temporarily Read more...