Founded in 1978 by one of Italy’s most prominent fashion designers, Gianni Versace, the Milan-based fashion house Versace has become a symbol of Italian luxury around the world.
Through its lavish and glamorous designs, Versace has expanded its influence across other industries like film, from designing costumes for film productions to dressing top actors for official events and public appearances. For example, on the 2024 Oscars red carpet, actress Margot Robbie wore a Versace gown from the autumn/winter ’24/’25 collection. The fitted, strapless dress with a chainmail column perfectly complemented Robbie’s blonde hair, serving as a glamorous addition to her iconic looks while promoting the 2023 blockbuster Barbie.
Aside from film, another creative industry with which Versace has a long history of partnership is music. Below, we highlight Versace’s notable collaborations with top musicians, from co-creating collections to promoting its seasonal campaigns.
Versace’s notable collaborations with top musicians
When Gianni was still at the helm of Versace, Elton John was among the household names he regularly teamed up with. The British singer-songwriter was tapped by the designer to record songs specifically for his runway collections, such as “Into The Jungle” for Versace’s Spring/Summer 1996 show. Even after Gianni’s death in 1997, Donatella Versace, his sister and the current artistic director of Versace, would enlist Elton John for seasonal campaigns, along with other musical talents of the time, such as Madonna.
Fast-forward to the 21st century and Donatella would continue working with musicians as the faces of Versace’s collections, such as pop star Lady Gaga, who represented the official S/S 2014 campaign. However, Versace’s creative partnership with Dua Lipa is one of the most memorable, as the British and Albanian singer co-designed a pre-fall collection with Donatella.
The groundbreaking 42-piece La Vacanza collection blends Versace’s signature designs, such as S/S 1995’s Butterfly & Ladybug print, with fresh patterns like polka dots. This results in pieces that reflect both Versace’s sophistication and Dua’s retro glamour inspirations, ranging from black-and-white polka-dotted slip dresses to silk dresses and tailored power suits.
One of Versace’s most recent partners is rising star Sabrina Carpenter, who unveiled her new full album, Short n’ Sweet, in 2024 with chart-topping and Grammy-nominated singles “Please, Please, Please” and “Espresso.” The hitmaker recently finished the North American leg of her tour named after the album and now remains in the public eye through a number of brand campaigns, including Versace’s.
Credit: @donatella_versace on Instagram
As the fashion house’s new face, Carpenter headlined an eyewear campaign that features one of the most iconic Versace sunglasses: the Biggie. As seen on the leading retailer Sunglass Hut, the Versace VE4361 Biggie frames—named after legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G.—are characterised by a bold, oversized silhouette and temples bearing the brand’s signature Medusa head emblem. For the official campaign photos, Carpenter is seen wearing the Biggie sunglasses with a tortoiseshell pattern and gold detailing, but the retailer also offers the model in various colourways, including pink frames and lenses and black frames and grey lenses with a silver emblem.
Continuing its legacy through K-pop ambassadors
As Versace steadily grows as a global luxury fashion brand, it continues its legacy of partnering with musicians by expanding into the market for South Korean pop music. Last year, the Italian fashion label announced Aespa member NingNing as its newest Global Brand Ambassador, who joins other K-pop idols like Stray Kids’ Hyunjin in the Versace family. Overall, Versace’s partnerships with musicians, be it through runway shows, collections, and campaigns, ultimately cement its role as luxury fashion’s biggest music fan.