The $1.4 billion acquisition falls well below the roughly $2 billion that Versace’s now-former parent company, Capri Holdings, paid for the brand nearly a decade ago.

The sale widens Prada’s stable of designer labels, which includes Miu Miu, as the company seeks to cement its position against major competitors like the French conglomerate LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton and Fendi.

Versace’s longtime creative force, Donatella Versace, stepped down in March after nearly 30 years at the helm of the fashion house, renowned for its opulent aesthetic and iconic Medusa logo.

She assumed leadership in 1997 following the murder of her brother, Gianni. Donatella was succeeded by Dario Vitale, formerly a design director at Miu Miu, Prada’s youth-focused luxury brand.

The sale comes at a roughly $600 million loss for Capri Holdings, following a period of disappointing sales.

Under Capri’s ownership, Versace shifted away from its signature, bold designs toward a more minimalist direction, even as the company raised prices.

Prada confirmed on Tuesday that it completed the acquisition after receiving regulatory approval.

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By Laura Vinti, La Nostra Voce

The Italian steamship Stampalia seemed enormous to the small dark boy hailing from Bonito, but that didn’t scare him: it seemed only fitting that the vessel was almost as big as his dreams. It was 1915, Salvatore was not 17 yet, and he had only 150 liras in his pocket — about $30. With a suitcase full of his mother’s cooking and a head filled with hope, he looked forward to his future. He wanted to make shoes, and America, vast and new, seemed like the right place to go.

Salvatore’s love affair with shoes had started many years before, when he was still a small child. His mother knew that he could always be found in Luigi Festa’s workshop, fascinated as he was by the local cobbler’s ability to craft shoes. Barefoot, curious, and barely able to walk, he already knew with startling clarity that one day he would be a shoemaker — the best of all.

In Bonito, about 60 miles east of Naples, school ended with third grade, and only the wealthy could afford to send their children to Naples to continue their education. Salvatore’s parents, Antonio and Mariantonia, were poor farmers, and he was the eleventh child of fourteen. By the time he had completed his abridged education, his older brothers and sisters had all left for America. Salvatore had no wish to leave his family: his all-consuming desire was to be apprenticed to Festa.

This article first appeared on the front page of the June 2024 edition of ISDA’s monthly Italian American newspaper, La Nostra Voce. Subscribe here

Unfortunately, that was the one desire his parents were not willing to grant: “Choose a respectable trade!”, they would say. “You can be anything you want, but not a shoemaker!” Making shoes was the lowest of all trades; a shoemaker son would bring disgrace to his entire family, no matter how humble his family already was.

But Salvatore was nothing if not headstrong: it was his curse, and his strength. The night before his younger sisters’ Communion, Mariantonia had still not been able to borrow white shoes for her daughters. In his eagerness to help his distressed family, the 9-year-old saw his chance. After dinner, when everybody else was busy, he ran to Luigi Festa’s workshop and obtained all he needed to make two pairs of white shoes for his sisters. He waited until his family went to bed, and then he worked through the night. By the next morning his sisters’ white shoes were admired by the entire village. Surprised and deeply touched, Antonio and Mariantonia caved in. The next morning, the boy was apprenticed to Signor Festa.

But Bonito was too small for Salvatore’s ambition and talent. At 11, having learned all that Festa could teach him, he moved to Naples, but even there, after two weeks in the shop of the best Neapolitan shoemaker, he had mastered the finest subtleties of the craft. Learning felt like remembering. He must have been a cobbler in a previous life: this was the only way he could explain it.

He went back home to Bonito not quite 12, opened his own shop in his family’s house, and hired two assistants: an 18-year-old boy with previous work experience, and an 8-year-old boy whose task was to straighten used nails. However, it didn’t take him long to realize that he could only grow his business so much in his small village. His brother Alfonso, who was working in a shoe factory in Boston, wrote about the wonderful machines that could speed up Salvatore’s work and allow him to increase his output dramatically. At first reluctant to leave Bonito and his family, Salvatore at last decided that he would go to America, learn all that he could in that land of wonders, and bring the new technologies back to Italy, where he would then become rich and famous.

It didn’t quite go as expected. Once in Boston, he visited the shoe factory where his brother had worked and was horrified. This had nothing to do with talent, craft, and beauty! He hated the crudely mass-produced shoes, the repetitiveness of the work, the clunky machines, the deafening noise. To his sisters’ and brother-in-law’s dismay, he decided at once that he would travel west and join his three older brothers who, in the meantime, had moved to Santa Barbara, California.

As it so happened, Santa Barbara was the film production center of the American Film Manufacturing Company. Salvatore’s brother Alfonso sometimes worked for them, ironing suits for the actors. Salvatore was adamant that he would only work as a shoemaker, and since in America only the rich could afford hand-made shoes, the brothers hoped that the film industry might need someone to custom-make shoes for their productions. Alfonso introduced Salvatore to the wardrobe director, and together the three toured the studios, which specialized in shooting westerns. Surrounded by movie sets and props, Salvatore felt immediately at home. When his eyes fell on a pair of cowboy boots, he was enthralled; he had never seen them before. He admired the style and the quality of the leather, but realized at once that he could create much better boots. He pointed out how he would improve them, and when his brother translated his words to the wardrobe director, the man’s eyes lit up. “These boots are always wrong! They are made in Eureka, and when they arrive, they either don’t fit, or they are the wrong style!” He was enthusiastic about having a shoemaker working close by. He patted the boy’s back genially, shook his hand, and welcomed him into the golden world of silent movies.

After Westerns came shoe orders for historical epics, costume films and cloak-and-dagger stories. He created fabulous shoes for roles played by Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Barbara La Marr, and he invented brand new models for Cecil B. DeMille’s biblical and religious epics, such as The Ten Commandments and The King of Kings.

His shoes were stunning — and comfortable. Up until that moment, shoes had been either beautiful or comfortable. Salvatore’s creations managed to be both. It didn’t take long for actors to desire the same comfort and style even when they were off-stage. The first to order shoes as a private customer was Lottie Pickford, Mary Pickford’s younger sister. Soon thereafter, he was making shoes for every actor working for the studios.

Spurred by his success and his fascination with feet, which he saw as one of God’s masterpieces, Salvatore decided to enroll at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles to study the anatomy of the human body. He loved feet — their strengths, their gracefulness, their ability to support their owner’s weight; he wanted to make shoes that didn’t hurt them. He believed that no one was born with bad feet: calluses, bunions, fallen arches, crooked toes were all caused by bad shoes. He had seen how much suffering was due to bad shoes, and he set out to rectify that.

In the 1920s, the studios moved to Hollywood, and he followed. When the silent movies were supplanted by the “talkies,” a new generation of actors debuted in Hollywood. They were young, ambitious, and wealthy; they spent their time acting, partying, marrying, divorcing, drinking, and buying Salvatore’s shoes. Ferragamo was instrumental in sculpting their public personas as they transitioned from talented unknowns to movie stardom. He knew their feet as his own, bunions, corns, and all, and created wooden lasts for each of them: Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Katherine Hepburn, just to name a few. Their ranks were later swelled by icons such as Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and many, many more.

This was a time when the world had forgotten that Italy had been the cradle of Roman art, culture, and architecture, and the birthplace of such masterpieces as the Colosseum and the Mona Lisa. Fashion was dictated by France, seamstresses and cobblers everywhere were judged by their ability to reproduce French models

Poor Italians streamed into Ellis Island and settled into cramped and dilapidated quarters in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia; they were looked down upon and considered members of an inferior race. Salvatore, however, unbeknownst to him, was following a long and illustrious Italian tradition. Ever since the Renaissance, many Italian artisans had transcended the boundaries of their craft and become inventors and creators, and the best among them had enjoyed a high social standing. Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael had all been on friendly terms with their powerful patrons, who admired their genius and respected their art.

The poor, barefoot Italian boy from the south of Italy had achieved the same status. He was an artist and an inventor. He loved to play with shapes and styles. He held more than 20,000 models in his shoe library and registered more than 300 patents. He overcame any hurdle with grit and determination, turning obstacles into inspirations. Spurred by the shortage of high-quality materials during the autarky years in Italy right before World War II, Salvatore experimented with textiles, animal skins, raffia, nylon, and paper. In 1937, he patented his iconic cork wedge, arguably his most recognizable creation.

He was a trailblazer, and the world was not always ready for his creations. But in 1947, he received the highly coveted Neiman Marcus Fashion Award, one of the highest recognitions in the fashion industry. The French fashion designer Christian Dior was awarded the same honor that year, and he and Ferragamo were the first non-Americans to receive the prize. For the first time since the Renaissance, Italian fashion was celebrated internationally. Long before Prada and Gucci became well-known names, it was Ferragamo who put Italy back on the world’s fashion map.

In Florence, an exhibition at Palazzo Spini Feroni celebrates his life and accomplishments — 1898-1960 Salvatore Ferragamo, Museo Ferragamo, which runs until November 4th, 2024.

Learn more at: https://museo.ferragamo.com/en

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You are invited to the fashion event of the season — ISDA’s Fair Lady Frolic — celebrating “60 Years of Passion for Fashion.”

This year’s fashion show extravaganza will introduce you to our new Fashion Director Elisabeth Leach. Elisabeth is a Fashion Stylist who specializes in styling professional women for business, casual and special occasions. Ms. Leach also is the Founder & CEO of the Pittsburgh Business Collective and The Women’s Collective, which are inclusive membership organizations comprised of business owners and corporate executives who hold professional networking events at new and elevated venues in Pittsburgh. Elisabeth will be assisted by Fashion Coordinator Julie Lawrence. Ms. Lawrence is a Personal Stylist and a Designer for Inspired Closets by Tom. She has experience working on fashion shows in New York City and Pittsburgh.

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Within our collection, some of the most exquisite scents have been centuries in the making and the experience of them (whether in a personal fragrance, candle, or room diffuser) is unlike anything you can buy off the shelf in a typical chain beauty store.  With origins in the Renaissance in Florence and with the Monks on the Island of Capri, these fragrances transport you through time and space and connect with your soul.

FARMACIA 1561

The year is 1561. The city of Florence, one of Europe’s most dynamic financial centers, is in the midst of an artistic, philosophical, and scientific awakening. The gorgeous city is alive with music, art, and the aromas of spice, flowers, ripe citrus, and baking bread. And in the heart of it all, a family of perfumers sets out to develop a line of fragrances that capture the splendor and magnificence of Florence even centuries earlier.

The Italian Renaissance was a glorious age for invention. It also was a time when Italians were renewing their interest in the past and rediscovering their own history as a lens through which they viewed present day politics, power struggles, and religion. And these Florentine artists weren’t just working in marble and paint – they were also apothecaries, pharmacists, and alchemists, like the family who created the legendary Farmacia SS. Annunziata 1561.

For 460 years, inspired by the Renaissance-era Guilds, Farmacia SS. Annunziata 1561 has created high-prestige products and exclusive scents that transport the history of Florence into the modern day. Owned today by the Azzerlini family, who have managed the brand for two generations, they produce the most rich, gorgeous room fragrances in distinctive sophisticated bottles that bring good taste and style to any room.  These fragrances evoke far-off places, stirring thoughts of soft breezes and exotic ports — and the memories of a just-ended journey.

Arte dei Mercatanti Home Fragrance by Farmacia SS. Annunziata 1561

Farmacia is also innovating in new products and skincare that it will launch with its refreshed branding and products this spring – stay tuned for when they become available in the US through Mozzafiato!

CARTHUSIA

Legend has it that the father prior of the Carthusian Monastery of St. Giacomo on Capri was surprised by an unexpected visit from Queen Joanna I of Anjou in 1380. He scrambled to pick the most beautiful flowers on the island to present her in a bouquet. After the bouquet stood in a vase for three days, the water had taken on a haunting and beautiful fragrance – a scent of wild carnations that became the first perfume of Capri.

Whether this legend is true or not, we know for certain that in 1681, the monastery began distilling local flowers and herbs to create essential oils and fragrance blends. Those same, centuries-old formulas were rediscovered in the 1940s and are used by the Carthusian monks today to continue the tradition of limited-production, finely crafted, hand-produced fragrances of magnificent quality.

Carthusia’s iconic Fiori di Capri derives from the legendary scent of those handpicked wild carnations. Their Mediterraneo is a bewitching combination of fresh lemon and sparkling green tea, reminiscent of the grandeur of Europe, Africa, and Asia of centuries ago. Both are available for you to accent your own life with personal fragrance, home fragrance, candles, and hand creams.

LINKS TO FIORI DI CAPRI AND MEDITERRANEO PERFUMES.

These fragrances are robed in a bit of mystery – an alchemy that transformed time and nature into pure gold. But they aren’t relics of the past; they are alive and actively produced in their homeland today.

So why not stop in for a visit the next time you’re on Capri or strolling the streets of Florence? Take some time to speak with the family behind Farmacia or the family who safeguards the formulas at Carthusia.

Their stories are better than those of any online celebrity – and the same scents you’ll find in their small shops are the ones you can order today through Mozzafiato.

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My father’s family emigrated here from Sicily, passing through Ellis Island. They remained in the City and settled in Brooklyn, paving the way for me to pursue my dream as a New York artist.

I’m captivated by nature, poetry and the world around me, which has inspired me to create a variety of artworks in various mediums.

My latest venture translates my vision of flowers and bodies of water into gorgeous silk scarves, produced in only the finest Italian textile mills.

Growing up on the East Coast, the ocean and water were a huge part of my life, and remain so.

I’m passionate about preserving our oceans, keeping them clean and helping the varied sea life from being decimated by pollution.

My series of photo collages deals with the fragility of life, and illustrates the beauty and vulnerability of our ecosystem.

I took that series and transformed it into textiles. Each scarf is executed by initially finding live flowers, photographing them in different positions and then digitally composing the flowers so they appear to be floating and falling in water.

The creations span the world with flowers, such as the Cala Lily, Iris, Dalia and others.

Each scarf comes with a lovely description of the meaning of the flower, and facts about the body of water that’s featured.

To learn more, explore my Instagram page or contact me directly at andrea@difiorenyc.com. Find a list of available scarves at my online boutique: DiFiore New York, LLC

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The little sister of the late icon and designer Gianni Versace has made a name for herself in and out of the fashion world.

Donatella Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy on May 2, 1955.

She was the youngest of four children. Her other brother, Santo, currently serves as the President of Gianni Versace S.p.A.

Donatella also had an older sister, Tina, who died at the age of 12 from an improperly treated tetanus infection.

In an interview with The New Yorker, Versace described herself as the baby of the family, saying “I was so spoiled. I was the best-dressed little girl in the city.”

In her teenage years, Versace unearthed her trademark look: dyed platinum blonde hair and heavy eyeliner.

Gianni was actually the mastermind behind the look, encouraging Donatella to dye her hair when she was just 11 years old.

Her Italian roots are ever present throughout her life in the way she cared for her family.

She had two children named Allegra and Daniel with model and now-former husband Paul Beck.

In an interview with Vogue, she called her children her greatest achievement.

Despite the near-decade age difference between them, Gianni and Donatella’s strong sibling bond was evident as she served as his fashion muse.

In the 1980s, Gianni launched a fragrance named Blonde in dedication to her. He also gave Donatella her very own label called Versus in 1989, which is styled toward younger audiences.

Just days after the death of her brother, Donatella became Versace’s artistic director.

She also was named vice president and chief designer of Versace Group, upon Gianni’s death.

Donatella inherited a 20% stake in the company while their brother, Santo, was given a 30% stake. The remaining 50% was given to Donatella’s daughter, Allegra, which she claimed on her 18^th birthday.

Despite losing her brother in a most horrific way, Donatella turned the tragedy into triumph by carrying on Gianni’s legacy into the 21^st century, never forfeiting the fashion empire that is still a household name.

Donatella was featured on the small screen in 2017 in FX’s Emmy-award winning series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. The nine-episode season dives into the personal lives of Gianni and Donatella, from their humble Italian roots and first taste of the fashion world, to his untimely death and how his legacy was carried on by his family–especially Donatella.

Penelope Cruz took on the role as the late fashion icon’s younger sister.

Donatella’s role throughout the show is summarized in one line given after Gianni’s death, and how she had to officially take control to be sure the company stayed alive:

“I will not allow that man, that nobody, to kill my brother twice.”

More than 20 years after her brother’s death, Donatella finally came to a point where she was ready to release The Versace Tribute Collection in Spring of 2018. In the collection’s video, Donatella stated, “This collection is a tribute to the life and works of Gianni. We pay homage to not only his artistic genius but to who he was as a man, and above all, as my brother.” Five of Gianni’s original supermodels also paid tribute to the late designer by walking down the runway for the collection.

In 2018, Capri Holdings acquired all of the outstanding shares of Italian luxury fashion house Gianni Versace, and describes the brand as been representing the epitome of Italian fashion luxury, a testament to the brand’s timeless heritage, for over 40 years.

When the transaction with Capri Holdings was finalized, Donatella said in the release: “I am proud that Versace remains very strong in both fashion and modern culture.

Versace is not only synonymous with its iconic and unmistakable style, but with being inclusive and embracing of diversity, as well as empowering people to express themselves.”

As of March 2019, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Donatella has $400 million to her name.

Make the pledge and become a member of Italian Sons and Daughters of America today!

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The season’s storyline was an adaptation of the book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History by Maureen Orth.

Édgar Ramírez takes on the role of Versace, a man with a vision who built a fashion institution.

Alongside Ramírez is Penelope Cruz as the designer’s sister and muse, Donatella Versace.

Gianni’s longtime partner, Antonio D’Amico, is also featured in the series, portrayed by Ricky Martin.

The nine-episode season dives into the personal life of Gianni, from his humble Italian roots and first taste of the fashion world, to his untimely death and how his legacy was carried on by his family–especially Donatella.

Cruz’s portrayal of Donatella rightfully gets prominent screen time as the season showcases her as a true Italian matriarch of the Versace Group, and an example of triumph over tragedy as she ensures that her brother’s life work and legacy will not die along with him.

The season also focuses on the background of the murderer, Andrew Cunanan, played by Darren Criss.

Throughout the season, viewers see defining moments in Cunanan’s life, from his childhood to the moment he met Gianni Versace in 1990, to the 1997 murder spree that claimed the lives of five people, including the iconic fashion designer.

The season concludes with the widespread manhunt for Cunanan, who committed suicide eight days after shooting Versace on the front steps of his Miami Beach mansion.

However, Versace Group sent a statement to Harpers Bazaar warning viewers that the family had nothing to do with the season nor the authenticity of its content:

“The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”

Harpers Bazaar said D’Amico also called the season “ridiculous,” claiming many of the portrayed scenes were untrue. However, D’Amico reportedly met with Martin for advice on the role, just as Donatella Versace gave personal insight to Cruz, according to Harpers Bazaar.

Despite the disapproval from Versace Group, the season was hailed by critics and went into the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards already triumphant with the nine nominations, the most of any show that year.

Out of those nine nominations, the season took home four awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Darren Criss, Outstanding Contemporary Costumes, and Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story can be viewed on Netflix.

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Complete with glided arches, towering artworks and exotic animals, Armani uses the retreat — and eight other homes and estates spread across Europe and the U.S. — to stay inspired and to keep an arm’s length from most hotels, which he finds ill-designed and gaudy.

Take a look here at the Broni villa, and learn a little more about the man who has shaped fashion and popular culture for decades with minimalist design and a perfectionist’s vision.

Join Sunday Supper, ISDA’s weekly e-newsletter, for the latest serving of all things Italian. 

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Italian men have oily, black, curly hair. They wear supple leather loafers and stylish leather motorcycle jackets. They nonchalantly sling satchels over the jaunty lapels of their designer blazers. Their clothes all fit like a glove, and their leather gloves fit even better than their clothes.

They whiz around the streets on agile little Vespas, the only vehicle that looks as lithe and clever as they do. Their scarves trail in the wind behind them as they zip towards a vineyard or cafe. This description sounds stereotypical, but after three months in Italy, I am delighted to report that it’s absolutely true. Italians look every bit as Italian as I pictured them before I arrived.

Continue reading at The Cavalier Daily. 

Join Sunday Supper, OrderISDA’s weekly e-newsletter, for the latest serving of all things Italian. 

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