Saint Versace, what is your first memory?
“When I started working with my father: I was six years old.”
It is not possible.
“I was the one who exhausted him, I wanted to go to the store with him at all costs and when I turned 6 years old he told me as a gift: now you're an adult, you can come.”
What has he done?
“First I learned the multiplication table of 36 because coal cost 36 lire per kilo: 36-72-108-144-180-216-252-288-324. Then I skewered and shoveled, I copied the big ones. So I grew up with a healthy and robust constitution!”.
Another picture from his childhood?
«After the death of my sister Tinuccia, I was almost 9 years old. Gianni and I were sent by relatives. The coffin was transported on horses; cars were not used at that time: we walked behind the white coffin. It was 1953.
Two years later Donatella was born.
“A gift that filled a gap.” When she was 5 years old I was playing basketball in Serie B, when I enrolled at university she was 8 years old, when I graduated with my economics degree she was in eighth grade Great: She was the only one in my family who was present that day and who I had brought with me to Messina”.
– Gianni Versace, left, with his brother Santo
And where was Gianni?
“He convinced our mother to open the boutique in Reggio Calabria. He did everything: the buyer, the salesman, the operations manager. He was the best salesman.
This year, in December, he will be 80 years old.
“No, I’m turning 20 for the fourth time.”
Certainly. He has done many things: What are you most proud of?
“For the first 32 years I was in Reggio, where I opened an accounting firm. It was a great life, still with the family. However, the most meaningful experience was undoubtedly founding a company from scratch on a global scale and defending it after Gianni’s death.”
The idea for the fashion house came from him.
“I told Gianni that we would do better than Yves Saint Laurent.” Carlo Tivioli, his partner at the time, replied that I was crazy.
Instead, he opened 120 boutiques around the world.
“I did my first world tour at the opening in Sydney in 1982. On January 4th I went from Milan to Fiumicino, then to Athens, Calcutta, Bangkok and on the 6th I arrived in Australia. Then I flew to Melbourne, back to Sydney and from there I went back: one night in Los Angeles, one in San Francisco, one in New York, one on the Atlantic, one day in Paris and on the 16th I was in Milan.”
Have these feats happened to you often?
“Back then, yes. Another incredible tour was when we woke up in New York with Anne Marie Paltsou, the commercial director: after breakfast we drove to La Guardia to take the plane to Toronto, there we chose the space for the new boutique, we had lunch, we drove to Montréal for another boutique, had dinner and flew back to sleep in Vancouver. All on the same day. From Vancouver, later San Francisco, Honolulu, Los Angeles and finally Milan.”
How did you see supermodels?
“Very expensive! I was always there arguing about costs, prices, everything. But it was great! It was a special moment, the madness that reigned in the famous Milan of drinking, creativity and design. The image of Italy in the world changed, the Spiegel showed us on the cover with spaghetti and the P38”.
– Gianni Versace with Naomi Campbell and Carla Bruni
There was Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington.
“They cost $15,000 a show. But if you called them specifically for an event, you had to think about everything: first class plane, luxury hotel for five nights… The fee ended up increasing.”
Were you at war with other designers?
“It was nice to have such strong competitors because they encouraged you to do your best.” But then everyone thought about themselves, they didn’t look at anyone else.”
What memories do you have with them?
“The indelible thing with Valentino and Giammetti comes from the day Gianni was killed. Donatella, Emanuela Schmeidler and I ran to Ciampino to catch the private plane and we found them there at the airport to hug each other.
And what do you say about Giorgio Armani?
“If anything, what did he say about me!”
– Giorgio Armani between Santo Versace and his wife Francesca De Stefano
That Gianni envied his brother Santo.
«Last year I met him twice: in Milan at the presentation of the film “The Inside Story of Italian Fashion” and in Venice at his fashion show. Both times I was with my wife Francesca. In the 1990s, the fashion show calendars showed that Milan was strong because of its two standard bearers: Gianni opened and Armani closed. One reinforced the other, everyone wanted to be the most beautiful and best, but everyone worked for themselves. In the middle there was a beautiful wealth: Ferré, Krizia, Missoni, Fendi. A great passion.”
Where is Lady D's famous mannequin now?
“You have to ask Versace that.” It will be in the archives…».
Do you have a private picture of the sad princess?
“She who held my hand for half an hour to comfort me on the day of the funeral ceremony in the cathedral in Via del Gesù. For Elton John, aside from the photos taken at his home in New York, the memory of the funeral as he cried before singing with Sting is indelible. Afterwards he gave an extraordinary concert in Riga, where I was, and the next day an eight-column newspaper headlined with his words: “Holy, I love you.”
July 15, 1997 changed everything.
“I couldn't believe he was dead. It was my turn to be recognized at the hospital, they wouldn't let us in. Then, as I touched Gianni's head, I withdrew my hand, covered in blood: that's when I realized she was no longer there. I pushed the coffin into the crematorium: they gave me back a small bag of ashes.
The ashes are in Milan at the headquarters on Via Gesù. Do you often think about your brother?
“Yes, for him, as well as for my father and mother. With all the prayers we said and prayed, with the candles we lit, I hope he is in heaven now.”
Have you always been a man of faith?
“As a boy I was a Boy Scout. As an adult, I drifted away. Especially after what happened to Gianni, I was a little lost. But thanks to Francesca I have found my faith again: we go to mass every Sunday and on public holidays. We work for heaven, we seek it for all our relatives.”
Also for Donatella?
“She is the first: she is my sister.”
When was the last time you saw her?
“I appeal to the Fifth Amendment.”
Can we consider not completing the merger with Gucci as your biggest regret?
“It's what saddened me the most after Gianni's death.” We were ready. A fantastic group would have been created, we would have had the time and strength to let it grow: with him would have been Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole. It was a starting point, not an arrival point.”
You have always been very committed to Made in Italy. Altagamma, the committee of Italian luxury brands, is his creation.
“There were nine of us, I am the founding president, with Angelo Zegna, Gildo's father, Franco Mattioli for Ferré with Gianfranco, Marco Bandiera from Les Copains, FontanaArte and Alessi for design, Marina Deserti, Ferragamo and Gucci: six.” for fashion, two for design and one for food stamps. Even then we were transversal. I’m super proud of what we did, it’s working great.”
The “Made in Italy” labeling law, passed during his parliamentary activity from 2008 to 2013, bears his name.
“We wanted the law to show Europe that Italy jointly defends the values of manual skills, even if they cannot be applied, since these issues fall within European competence.” It was a signal.
Would you have liked to have done more as deputy?
“Perhaps my inexperience and entrepreneurial thinking punished me. But I was going through a divorce, and then I was working as a free hitter, I was sluggish, I had too many problems. Today I would be ripe.
Would you like to return to Parliament?
By hand. But as a free citizen, I’m happy to continue talking about politics.”
Now he is dedicating himself to the Santo Versace Foundation.
“I will sort it out with my wife.” The most beautiful thing we experienced in Fabriano was the mass on the day of the Immaculate Conception for the 25th anniversary of the ordination of our spiritual father Don Aldo Bonaiuto.
What did you do?
“We baptized two little girls. She is Sarah, together with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani: she is a five-year-old Nigerian whose mother was a victim of human trafficking. Me, Lyanna, with Tajani's wife Brunella Orecchio: She is 9 months old and was born on a Boat of Hope.”
– Santo Versace with his wife Francesca de Stefano
Francesca De Stefano returned her smile.
“We waited until last July to have the church wedding: if I had known it would be so exciting, I would have done it sooner!”
New projects?
“We are supporting the House of Spirit and the Arts at the concert at La Scala in Milan on February 12th with the Orchestra del mare: The musicians play with string instruments made by prisoners from the wood of migrant boats.” The proceeds support the Metamorphosis- Project: We firmly believe in the reintegration of prisoners.”
What kind of father was he?
“Maybe I could have been stricter, I gave my children a lot of freedom.” We, on the other hand, had to conquer everything.”
Does it bother you that they don't work at Versace?
“Yes, especially for Francesca, who had interest and potential. As I explained in the book Fratelli, if Gianni had been alive he would certainly have worked with him.”