- The Versace family — one of the most powerful families in fashion, according to Harper's Bazaar — has seen a lot of success since the Versace brand's founding in 1978. But the family has also seen its share of tragedy.
- Versace has been a family-owned company for more than 40 years. It was founded by Gianni Versace and later run by his brother Santo Versace, his sister Donatella Versace, and his niece Allegra Versace Beck.
- Iconic fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot and killed on July 15, 1997, outside his Miami mansion, by the serial killer and crazed fan Andrew Cunanan.
- He was survived by Donatella and Santo and their respective children. Gianni was especially close with Donatella's daughter, Allegra.
- Donatella, Santo, and Allegra together became the sole heirs to the company after Gianni's death, whether they wanted to be in the fashion industry or not.
- In 2018, Michael Kors Holding Group — now known as Capri Holdings — acquired the Versace fashion house for more than $2.1 billion.
- Here's what we know about the Versace family's journey through fame, tragedy, and resilience.
Gianni Versace was born in December 1946 in Calabria, Italy, into a family with an entrepreneurial seamstress as its matriarch.
Source: Encyclopædia Britannica
Francesca Versace — the mother of Gianni, his sister Donatella, and his brother Santo — had very little money in Calabria but used what she had to start an atelier, Donatella told The New Yorker. Gianni grew up watching her work and designed his first dress at age 10, according to WWD.
Source: The New Yorker, WWD
In 1972, after he graduated from high school, Gianni moved to Milan to work under various designers, one of whom was Mario Valentino.
Source: Encyclopædia Britannica
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