We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Versace, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the iconic fashion brand that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: They Are Not Afraid to Use Different Materials. Throughout the years, the Versace brand has utilized many different materials in their clothing, including aluminum mesh, fused rubber, and fused leather.
Number Seven: They Were the First Brand to Connect Music and Fashion. Gianni Versace designed stage costumes for everyone from Elton John to Madonna, and he was the first designer to truly connect the world of fashion to the world of music.
Number Six: Gianni Had Ear Cancer. Though Gianni was eventually murdered in 1997, he had been diagnosed with ear cancer before his death. After he died, Gianni left his lover, Antonio D’Amico, a lifelong pension of approximately $26,000 every month.
Number Five: Donatella Helped With the First Photography Campaign. In 1979, Richard Avedon joined up with Versace to help with their first photography campaign. Donatella helped to supervise the campaign.
Number Four: Brooke Shields Was 14 Years Old When She Appeared in Their Campaign. Shields was in an ad for Versace in the Fall of 1980. Though she was not seductively dressed, she still was only 14 years old at the time.
Number Three: Courtney Love Modeled for One of Their Ad Campaigns. You can see Courtney Love featured in an advertisement for Versace’s Spring 1998 collection. She was shot by Richard Avedon for the ad.
Number Two: They Designed Costumes for Several Theater Productions. Versace designed pieces for Donizetti’s Don Pasquale in 1984, Bob Wilson’s Salome in 1984, and Doktor Faust in 1989. The iconic fashion house also designed costumes for several ballets by Bejart between the years of 1984 and 1989.
Number One: They Have More Than 80 Boutiques Worldwide. Since its inception in 1978, Versace has opened more than 80 stores or boutiques around the world (as of 2013). In 2014, the Blackstone Group bought a 20 percent stake in the company, solidifying its profitable future in the years to come.