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Art excited Gianni Versace. He responded as a connoisseur, enthusiast, collector and designer. From among all the roles he took in relation to art, Versace the disgner was the most well known and stimulated by art. While Versace’s historical episodes depended on a respect for art history, the specific interest in collecting and his fascination of art came from artists such as Gustav Klimt, Robert Delaunay, Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol and Jim Dine. When Versace was challenged by one of the artists he adored and whose motifs he used in his works, Versace replied that art was for everyone, for sharing, and for the lengthening of pleasure. His views on art were evident in his works and his life through his keen sense of collaboration with ballet and opera and his profound gratitude to the image-makers that led him to support photographic exhibitions and publications. If Versace were to be placed in a frame, I would put him in the cultural frame, as much of his designs he follows and abides by his beliefs and culture. There are even times where he includes Mary into his designs, however with some of his works, he could fall into the post-modern frame. For example, his plastic couture dress he created as plastic was an unrefined material in the 1960’s not to be used for ready to wear garments. Economic Data Ownership The Versace Empire is a family owned business. Until Gianni’s death, he held the position himself of a director, where his sister Donnatella Versace served as a vice president and was also in charge of the Versace distribution concepts.
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