Donatella Versace, a fashion icon from two decades ago, rose to fame for her custom apparel, grape-sized diamonds, and extravagant parties.
At a young age, the Italian-born Versace fashion label co-owner had full lips and flawless skin
Looking at her life now, she is almost as well-known for her dramatic change in appearance and her purported passion for plastic surgery.
Many of us who have followed Donatella Versace over the years find that she now little resembles the woman we remember.
However, Donatella actually began altering her appearance when she was just 11 years old while growing up in Italy.
Although I wasn’t particularly attractive when I was born, she said, “I always wanted to be impressive.”
She was the youngest of four siblings and was born on May 2, 1955. Her mother was a dressmaker, while her father was a salesperson.
Of course, it’s difficult to comprehend Donatella’s development without mentioning Gianni Versace. Her brother would go on to become one of the most well-known fashion designers in the world and achieve legendary status.
In Reggio Calabria, Donatella grew up alongside Gianni and her other brother Santo Versace. Tina, Donatella’s sister, tragically lost away at the age of twelve, leaving the family in a terrible sorrow. Tina passed away as a result of an inadequately managed serious bacterial infection.
Like Gianni and Santo, Donatella’s mother had a big impact on her. She used to play in the fabric basket that her mother kept in the center of the room while she worked on her outfits.
When Donatella was born, Gianni and Santo were eight and ten years old, respectively, but the siblings forged a close bond.
Gianni had strong ideals and a clear vision; it was him who persuaded Donatella to get her hair platinum blonde when she was just 11 years old. The cause? Gianni wanted his sister to resemble the Italian singer Patty Pravo because he was such a big fan.
I served as both his best friend and doll. From the time I was eleven years old, he dressed me in hip clothes and took me to discos and clubs. I was smitten. My life has never been better,” Donatella told The Guardian.
Over the years, Donatella and Gianni would form a strong sibling bond, although there were differing views on how equal it was. Gianni was undoubtedly the biggest star, but this had an impact on Donatella’s professional life.
She studied literature and languages at Florence, Italy, in the middle of the 1970s. But she made the short, one-way trek to Milan every weekend to see her brother Gianni. Despite having an age gap of over ten years, Gianni and Donatella got along well.
Gianni opposed to the concept of Donatella beginning to work for her brothers’ PR division. She was to serve as his “muse and critic,” according to the brother. Gianni said she was more helpful to him as a trend-spotter.
“Donatella served as a muse, sounding board, and first assistant in an ill-defined capacity. Expert Deborah Ball stated in her book House of Versace, published in 2010, that Donatella “became Gianni’s shadow in the atelier and had a tremendous instinct for sizing up a garment or a pair of pants or a color palette and assessing whether it had that mysterious aspect that would make it trendy.”
Gianni made the decision to work with his family to establish his fashion empire. Donatella served as his vice president, while his brother Santo served as the company’s president, as he ruled the world.
Donatella always stood at her brother’s side during his heyday.
She described the three of Versace as “there was Santo, the calm one; Gianni, the enfant terrible, and myself – Gianni’s accomplice.”
In the 1990s, Donatella also managed her own initiatives and established herself as Versace founded Donatella’s own line, Versus. Although Donatella was the only person with creative control for Versus, which was introduced in 1989, Donatella was officially in charge.
Brothers’ death
Gianni does, in fact, describe Donatella’s life in terms of a before and after. When Donatella’s brother was fatally slain in 1997, her entire life came crashing down. She lost a brother and her best friend.
And she lamented his passing as the entire globe pondered what had occurred and as the manhunt and aftermath dominated the tabloid headlines. Donatella and her family escaped the incident and made their way to an exclusive Caribbean resort. Gianni’s daughter, Allegra Versace, earned 50% of the business, while Santo received 30%.
Donatella assumed creative leadership of the design studio, but the period following Gianni’s passing turned into a nightmare. She struggled with addiction while she partied heavily. She was preoccupied with her attractiveness and said she “wanted to be Gianni’s doll.” After she suffered a breakdown during her daughter’s birthday party, Elton John organized an intervention for her.
I was lost for the first five years, she claims. I committed a ton of errors.
However, even though the initial years following Gianni’s passing were difficult, Donatella finally found herself and succeeded as head designer. She had always listened to other people, but she now made the choice to listen to herself. Donatella understood why her brother had put his trust in her.
“Donatella embodies the brand of the organization. Gianni created sexy, powerful clothing for attractive, powerful women. Marc Jacobs, a designer, declared in 1997, “She was the girl he was designing for.
Donatella eventually decided to take Versace in a new feminized path as her confidence grew. She collaborated with Madonna on a well-known ad campaign in 2005, which served as a new beginning. The internationally renowned artist would represent Versace’s portrayal of the glitzy, tenacious, and fearless CEO woman.
At the time, Donatella described herself as “a high-level working woman who does not sacrifice glamor when she is in the office.”
Donatella isn’t shy about sharing her opinions on feminism and femininity. Male fashion designers have come under fire from the matriarch for simply getting down at the drawing board and sketching out ridiculous designs without considering how the clothing should truly fit.
“Women need to put in three times as much work as men do to be taken seriously. I’m the sole woman on the board of directors and I sit there. And I dress some of the world’s most prominent women. I consider myself to be a feminist. Women can succeed, I demonstrate to them, Donatella says.
Nobody actually knows how they first connected, but in 1983, Donatella Versace wed American model Paul Beck Paul.
Some stories claim that the couple fell in love when Donatella wanted Paul to begin modeling for Versace in 1980.
In June 1986, Donatella gave birth to their first child, Allegra Versace Beck, and three years later, Daniel Versace Beck joined the family.
When Allegra’s uncle passed away in 1997, she received a 50% ownership interest in Versace, where she currently serves as a director. She overnight became a multimillionaire, but Allegra didn’t start working for the company until she was 24 years old.
Daniel and Allegra both grew raised in Italy’s countryside near Milan. They had strict security and a regimented lifestyle. Gianni’s enthusiasm in ballet was carried over by Allegra, who pursued dance training. Until his passing, Gianni and Allegra had a strong relationship.
Donatella was everything but your typical stay-at-home mother because she was so busy managing a fashion company.
Donatella stated to Vogue in 2013: “I’m sure I made a lot of mistakes with my kids, but if you stay at home, I think you make more mistakes.” She continued:
Mother is obviously the first thing. When the kids were tiny, I traveled frequently, but I made sure that the time I did spend with them was meaningful.
Donatella and Paul Beck divorced in 2000.
Donatella has been married twice in her life, however the second one lasted only a short while before ending. Donatella wed Manuel Dallori, an Italian businessman and entrepreneur, in 2004. The couple was divorced a year later.
Cosmetic procedures
Donatella Versace has long been regarded as one of the most powerful ladies in the world. She has influence, wealth, and it’s clear that many women admire Donatella and have opinions about her.
Donatella’s appearance and lifestyle as a bon vivant have always been contested due to her long platinum blonde hairstyle, dark tan, and large lips. However, many experts and admirers believe that the fashion icon went too far when she changed her image recently.
The tabloids have made assumptions about what types of cosmetic lifts the renowned designer has performed, but Donatella has never commented on whether she underwent surgery. Many plastic surgeons think Donatella had numerous “jobs” done on her physique.
Donatella “had her cheeks enlarged, perhaps with filler and certainly her lips have been filled, her eyelids are a little drooping,” Dr. Katz of the Juva Skin & Laser Center in NYC told HollywoodLife in 2014. They appear to be drooping, therefore I believe she had some poor Botox. Maybe the forehead has had a little too much Botox. Her ear lobes could definitely use some filler as they are severely strained.
Donatella reportedly had an addiction mentality since she smoked continuously for a long time and tanned frequently, which caused her skin to age more quickly than it should have.
She has certainly had a facelift; perhaps the cheeks and lips were overinflated, according to Dr. David Rapaport, another cosmetic surgeon: “Her face looks more taught and tight.”
Donatella Versace, 66, is currently the Versace company’s vice president of the board and artistic director.
She continues to be a powerful and important designer on a global scale. She garnered media attention once more in 2022 when Bella and Gigi Hadid, two supermodel sisters, joined her in fronting the new Versace campaign.
“I always place my family first, which is why I adore Bella and Gigi so much. They represent the epitome of sisterly power and convey that message to the entire Versace sisterhood, Donatella stated in a statement.
Whatever your opinion of Donatella and her decisions in life, I have to acknowledge that she has had a lasting impact on me.
She has overcome numerous failures and personal traumas, and when her life is all said and done, she will undoubtedly be recognized as one of the best designers we have ever had.
