Born Today in 1946: Fashion Designer Gianni Versace

Image: Rex Features

Gianni Versace was born today, December 2,1946. He was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Versace, an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, make-up, and home furnishings as well as clothes. He also designed costumes for the theatre and films. As a friend of Eric Clapton, Diana, Princess of Wales, Naomi Campbell, Duran Duran, Madonna, Elton John, Cher, Sting, and many other celebrities, he was one of the first designers to link fashion to the music world.

Giovanni Maria "Gianni" Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, on 02 December 1946, where he grew up with his elder brother Santo and younger sister Donatella, along with their father and dressmaker mother, Francesca. An older sister died at age 12 due to an improperly treated tetanus infection.

Versace met his partner Antonio D'Amico, a model, in 1982. Their relationship lasted until Versace's death. During that time, D'Amico worked as a designer for the company, becoming head designer for Istante and Versus Sport. Versace's will left D'Amico with a lifelong pension of 50 million lire (about $26,000) per month, and the right to live in any of Versace's homes in Italy and the United States. However, due to the Versace family's interference he only obtained a fraction of these allowances. D'Amico now runs his own fashion company.

Versace was shot and killed on July 15, 1997, at 50, on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion as he returned from a morning walk on Ocean Drive. Usually, Versace would have an assistant from his home walk to the coffee shop to get his morning papers, but he decided to go himself. 

He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan, who used the same gun to commit suicide on a houseboat 8 days later. Versace was Cunanan's fifth and final victim. Police have said they do not know why Versace was killed. "I don't know that we are ever going to know the answers," said Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Barreto. 

Gay Star News reports:

The eagerly anticipated full-length trailer for The Assassination of Gianni Versace has just been released.

The American Crime Story drama from FX is the follow-up to the first acclaimed season, which looked back on the trial of OJ Simpson.

The second season is a bio-drama looking back on the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace. It also follows the subsequent manhunt for his killer, Andrew Cunanan (played by Glee star Darren Criss).