“What we sit and sleep on reflects our character as much as what we wear. The Donatella armchair, designed in collaboration with musicians Simon and Nikolai Haas, for example, is my exact “portrait”. Furniture is what it should be. Versace is all about luxury and sexiness, and our interior design is based on these same principles”(c) Donatella.
Gianni Versace’s passion for design had no boundaries. He had a great passion for art in the broadest sense and found inspiration in art, theater and sculpture, creating numerous stunning designs. Gianni loved to experiment and the concept of too much was generally absent for him.
In the 90’s one of these experiments was a collection of interior fabrics. It all started with bed sets, but the range soon expanded to include exquisite rugs, accessories and tableware, as a result of a successful collaboration with the world-famous Rosenthal brand. His ability to anticipate fashion trends and his love of design turned each of Gianni’s ideas into exclusives that delighted the many admirers of the Versace fashion house.
Despite the great age difference, Gianni Versace had a very trusting and close relationship with his sister Donatella, who in 1978 became Vice President of Versace and a key consultant for the brand’s collections.
“My brother was the king, and my whole world was crumbling around me. I was his doll and his best friend. He dressed me in cool clothes, took me to parties and clubs as I turned 11. It was the best time of my life” – Donatella Versace.
And certainly Gianni Versace would have created many more original and exclusive pieces for his muse had it not been for the tragedy of July 15, 1997, when 50-year-old Gianni was murdered on the steps of his own Miami Beach mansion. Nevertheless, his brand continues to embody the Versace lifestyle that Gianni aspired to in new collections through successful collaborations already under the direction of Donatella Versace.
In 2013, in collaboration with designers Nikolai and Simon Haas, a new collection for the house was developed, in which Donatella gave full freedom in the embodiment of creativity and which successfully embodied the glamorous style of the respectable brand, revealing another passion of Donatella Versace – for rock & roll.
The original shaped armchair is handcrafted in porous brass with black leather upholstery and embodies the tradition of impeccable quality of the house of Versace. Other pieces in the collection include the Stud Club chair inspired by Donatella Versace’s own style and the 1992 Bondage collection designed by her brother, Gianni Versace.