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Versace's story of the red carpet dresses for Hollywood's hottest stars

Changes in management in the fashion industry are anything but new, but the developments of this week promise to influence Hollywood -Red carpets in a material way -perhaps even with the Met Gala on May 5. You have to ask yourself whether the stars panic on Thursday when Donatella Versace announced that she had resigned from design obligations to become the brand ambassador of the house. The former Miu Miu designer Dario took over vital as a creative director. (Fold the fact that the news that Demna leaves Balenciaga to become Guccis creative director broke minutes after Donatella's announcement, and it is sufficient to bring the stylist of a star in cold sweat.)

“It was always important for me to adhere to the next generation of designers,” said Donatella in a statement published on Thursday. “It was the greatest honor of my life to continue my brother's legacy. He was the real genius, but I hope I have something of his spirit and persistence. In my new role as a Chief brand ambassador, I will remain the most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart. ”

Gianni and Donatella Versace in New York City in the 1990s.

Rose Hartman/Getty Images

Ultimately, Versace has been his house since Gianni Versace and opened a boutique of the same name in Milan in 1978 to prefer lively colors, bold prints and sterile details from the start, Gianni seemed ahead of his time. “I like to tell stories with my clothes,” he said once. “Some are sadomasochistic, some are clever, others violent, others refined. Above all, my fashion has a message of freedom. I would like to see how my clothes of rich, poor, are worn by everyone. But mainly from people without taboos, because that is what poisoned our lives. Taboos and narrow -mindedness. “

But Hollywood caught up with the Versace aesthetics thanks to a dress in 1994. That was the year in which Elizabeth Hurley, then a largely unknown model, arrived at the London premiere of Four weddings and a funeral On the arm of the then friend Hugh Grant, who wore a black silk evening dress that was attached to the sides with oversized golden safety pens. “Poor Elizabeth called some top designers and everyone said:” No, who are you? “Or” No, we don't borrow anything, “recalled the actor in Hugh Grant: A life on the screenA 2024 BBC documentary. Then Versace said: “Yes, we will lend you a dress”, and you have just sent a round that is with the security pens. So she continued and I lifted my eyebrows and we made our way. ”

Elizabeth Hurley in Versace with Hugh Grant at the premiere of Four weddings and a funeral On May 11, 1994 in London.

Dave Benett/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

“We lived in this tiny little apartment without a mirror, without a steamer, I had nothing,” Hurley recalled in a podcast interview from 2024 and added that the only feedback on what it looked like was the reaction of grant's one-word reaction: “Christ!” “And we left,” added Hurley.

The dress – from Versace's spring collection from 1994 – and Hurley appeared in newspapers all over the world the next day, which caused an explosion of attention for both women and the man who designed it. Although Versace also designed a duct red dress for Cindy Crawford when they accompanied Richard Gere to the Oscars in 1991, this moment did not meet the attention that Hurley and Versace had designed in 1994 or the resulting advantages. In 1995 Hurley signed a contract with Estée Lauder, while the Hollywood -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -Holly -HoN -HOLL -HOCH -KLAMORING too Wree To Wree. At that time, Princess Diana was another loyal friend and client who, after her separation from Prince Charles from 1992, was part of her strategy “Revenge Dressing” by Versace. The reliable contingent of the Hollywood fans' label has now kept it fresh and lively and highly status and today all from Lady Gaga, Elton John and Madonna to Penelope Cruz, Dua Lipa and Blake Lively and that is only a starter. From the mid -nineties everyone wanted to wear Versace.

With Versace, Princess Diana took a 1995 concert in Italy in favor of Bosnian children.

Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images

At the height of his fame, Gianni Versace was murdered on the stages of his mansion in Miami Beach on July 15, 1997. After the tragedy, which shook both fashion and celebrity, Donatella Versace, who had worked with her brother throughout his career, announced that she would take over as a creative director. Skeptics were not shy before opinions and doubted whether she had the gravitas required for such a role. But nobody knew that Gianni Versace was better, and it was clear that Donatella, like the Versace aesthetics, was sometimes rooted in his ability to attract attention.

Jennifer Lopez in a green silk chiffon -dress from Versace at the 2000 Grammys.

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This trust was confirmed at a highly murmur, who arrived at the 2000 Grammy Awards three years later. Jennifer Lopez and David Duchovny, who presented the first prize for the best R&B album for the best R&B album, stepped onto the stage, but stood by the audience X files The actor to step aside, Lopez, who bears a green palm print dress with a deep neckline from Donatella's Spring 2000 collection, could attract attention. “Jennifer, this is the first time in five or six years that I am sure that nobody looks at me,” remarked Duchovny. If possible, the viral moment exceeded the reporting that Hurley received six years earlier. How powerful, do you ask? Online claim to see Lopez in the dress was so widespread that Google created its image search function, a fact that was confirmed by Google's own blog.

Almost striker for 25 years, and it has been all around that Donatella did an excellent job to honor her brother's legacy while moving the brand forward. “Versace is what it is because of Donatella Versace and the passion that she has brought into her role every day for almost 30 years,” CEO of Versace “, Emmanuel Gintzburger, noticed in the statement on Thursday. Hollywood has now been eager and happy to join Donatella for this adventure. Here is a look at other significant moments under Hollywood's hottest Stars:

2005: Beyoncé at the Academy Awards

Beyoncé at the 2025 Oscars.

Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

Almost two years before the publication of Dream girlsBeyoncé caused a sensation at the 2005 Oscars, first in this vintage Black Velvet Atelier Versace dress with a curved tremendous section with Lorraine Schwartz -ear -earrings. Fold your official appearance with the then friend Jay-Z and the three best song numbers that she performed during the show, and it is no wonder that the event “The Beyoncé Oscars” was referred to.

2008: Gisele Bundchen at the Met Gala

Gisele Bundchen at the Met Gala 2008.

Andrew H. Walker/Getty Pictures

Imagine madness when supermodel Gisele Bundchen and the then NFL superstar Tom Brady visited their first Met gala in 2008. Bundchen's pale pink silk-attic Versace dress was developed to honor the topic of the issue of the costume institute: “Superheroes: fashion and imagination”.

2012: Angelina Jolie at the Academy Awards

Angelina Jolie at the Oscars 2012.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

It was literally all over the world: When Angelina Jolie arrived at the Academy Awards 2012, her black velvet dress from Versace was widespread for his elegance – and then Jolie hit a pose. In these early days of social media, the actress's leg became one of the most popular topics of the night. Later Donatella agreed that the pose made the dress: “Sometimes you don't know which dress is the best, but when you see someone wearing the dress, it can be fantastic.”

2016: Taylor Swift at the Grammys

Taylor Swift at the Grammys 2016.

Jason Merritt/Getty Images

From country singers to an international superstar that sells stadium shows in minutes, Taylor Swift's transformation also included more than a few fashion moments, including this two-part Versace view of the Grammy Awards 2016. The strong colors and the bare middle part marked a new era in Swift's styling.

2021: Zendaya at the Bet Awards

Lil 'Kim and Zendaya in the 2021 Bet Awards.

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Zendaya and Star Stylist Law Roach have created many moments in legendary style during their partnership, and among the best is this view of the 2021 Bet Awards, in which the actress singers wore a dress that paid a Versace design that Beyoncé wore in her video “Crazy in Love” from 2003. Also through Versace and almost identical in styling – both designs came from the Spring collection of Versace 2003 – the dress already lived in Roachs considerable archive.

2025: Colman Domingo at the BAFTAS

Colman Domingo at the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Pictures

Versace's designs are not just for women. Channing Tatum and Cillian Murphy occurred in the campaigns of the house – “I love being surrounded by beautiful boys,” said Donatella in 2014 – while Luke Evans and Matt Bomer were among the stars in the front row of their recent fashion shows. In the 2025 BAFTAS, Colman Domingo continued to confirm his status as a style star when he wore a black versace suit with the shirt and food of the coat in the typical, bold, baroque pressure quantities of the label.