Versace's most iconic images from the campaigns of the past 20 years

Versace is synonymous with top models, beautiful creatures, muses who, for Gianni and Donatella, vibrated in advertising campaigns, now become legend. Just the names are enough: Christy, Linda, Naomi, Cindy, Claudia, and then Kate, Gisele, Malgosia, Amber.

Vital, sensual, independent, irreverent. They embody a kind of woman who knows what she wants and has the courage to get it, the woman who wears Versace.

Everyone wants that image, those clothes, first of all the Hollywood celebrities, they want to become the face of the brand. Some among them? Madonna, four times, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, Courtney Love, Demi Moore, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Patrick Dempsey, Jon Bon Jovi and many others.

Gianni Versace moved with determination and talent from Reggio Calabria, in the South of Italy, to Milan, managing to create an empire that revolutionized fashion and costume. While we wait to see the story of his life on the big screen in a new movie starring Antonio Banderas, nss presents you some of the brand’s most iconic advertising campaigns from the 90s until today.

Versace loves Madonna

Versace and Ms. Ciccone are in love since decades. Never mind if during this long marriage the restless pop star messed around with Dolce & Gabbana or Louis Vuitton, their union remains stronger than ever, so much so that she is still the face of Versace’s SS15.

If Madonna is now starring in a series of shots in black and white taken by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, in 1995 she became Jean Harlow first and then a minimal Princess, while in 2005 she embodied a business woman.

AW14: The Shop Window. Provocative, strong, the Versace woman is anything but dummy, but this time she plays the game.

SS13: Bronzed statues. Kate Moss, Daria Werbowy and Joan Small are Greek goddesses, bronze statues in a dark Olympus photographed by Mert & Marcus.

SS01: The girl on the bed. Malgosia Bela, Ivan De Pineda and a mysterious woman wearing suspenders for a series of sensual and languid images by Steven Meisel.

AW00: The Bourgeoisie. Steven Meisel recreates the atmosphere of the LA bourgeoisie with Georgina Grenville and Amber Valletta. It tastes like a film by Mike Nichols. Remember Mrs. Robinson?

AW99 Imponderabilia. Versace reinterprets a performance by Marina Abramovic. 

AW98: Versace meets Games of Thrones. Steven Meisel paints a Gothic story with knights, witches, priestesses, crows, books and swords.

1997: Versace Jeans Couture. A pair of jeans, Helena Christensen and the talent of Bruce Weber, is all you need for a shot that is among the most popular on Tumblr and Pinterest.

AW96: African Kate. Kate Moss with curly hair, thin, dressed in red. Her body speaks to Richard Avedon.

SS95: Adam and Eve. Sylvester Stallone and Claudia Schiffer interpret the couple of Eden for photographer Richard Avedon. The advertising campaign for Versace Home also includes Naomi and other naked beauties.

AW94: The tops. Cindy Crawford, Nadja Auermann, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and Stephanie Seymour coloUrful and sexy by Richard Avedon. The perfect look for the 90s teen TV shows, plus the ubiquitous naked and muscular man.

SS94: Linda. A smile, a look and a cool beauty that speaks alone. Linda Evangelista is perfect. An advertising campaign that recalls the Calvin Klein's style.

SS93: The dance. The top models dance for Avedon. The images of the advertising campaigns that year are dynamic, vibrant, coloUrful for summer, black and white for winter.

1993 Gianni Versace Couture: the backpack. Look at this image: Naomi Campbell on the shoulders of Kristen McMenamy. Don't you remember the human backpack seen on Rick Owens SS16 catwalk?

AW91: The Triangle. Helena Christensen, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Do we need to say more?

AW90: El Mirage. Herb Ritts creates a masterpiece of light and shadow through which the body of Cindy Crawford becomes art.