THE VERSACE SUCCESS
DONATELLA VERSACE is in her element these days, since having given Versace a new, softer attitude and being credited with hauling up its bottom line to an impressive level. But she admits it hasn't been plain sailing. "I got to my role right after a tragic event, the death of my brother, so… I was very insecure for a while because my brother was a genius," she told
WWD. "I was not ready for the role when that happened. I took a certain time to find my way." And she is well on her way now, having left the "aggressively sexy" past of the house to give it a new class. "While I wanted to keep Gianni's beliefs in fashion alive, I knew he would have wanted to keep changing if he was still alive," she went on. "So I decided to follow my instinct, which was to approach fashion in a more feminine, softer way, being a woman designer." Softer doesn't mean less enthused, however, as Donatella's recent ad campaigns have proved. Asked whether she clashed creatively with Madonna, who starred in last season's campaign, Donatella's steely determination is obvious. "It's very hard to win with Madonna all the way, but it's very hard to win with me too," she says. "But it went very well. I told her my needs." Since her daughter Allegra, who is became a majority shareholder in the Versace empire once she turned 18 after being named in Gianni's will, has joined the company, it is clear that Donatella has every faith in it moving from strength to strength. "I have to tell you, I am very surprised of the role she has right now as a shareholder," she said. "She is very together. She is following every move in the company. She is very mature, and as a shareholder, she is doing her role very well. There is no immediate other role, but she is very focused on being a shareholder and that's a good role." (November 21 2006, AM)
Dolly Jones
vogue.com