House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival
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- ISBN13: 9780307406514
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Versace. The very name conjures up images of outrageous glamour and bold sexuality, fruitfulness and daring. All of course right, but only half the tale. Versace is also the legacy of a fantastic creative genius from a poor, backward part of southern Italy who transformed the fashion world through his intuitive understanding of both women and how a changing culture influenced the way they wanted to dress. The first book in English about the legendary designer, House of Versace shows how Gianni Versace, with his flamboyant sister Donatella at his side, combined his virtuosic talent and extraordinary ambition to nearly single-handedly make the celebrity culture we take for granted today.
Gianni Versace was at the height of his creative powers when he was murdered in Miami Beach. The tale was front page news around the world and the manhunt for his killer a media obsession. His beloved sister Donatella demanded no less than a funeral befitting an assassinated head-of-state to be held in Milan’s magnificent cathedral. In what was the essential fashion show, the world’s rich and gorgeous – Princess Dianna, Elton John, Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Anna Wintour and others – gathered to mourn a man already considered one of fashion’s fantastic pioneers.
Deborah Ball, a long-time Milan correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, conducted hundreds of interviews with Versace family tree members, Gianni Versace’s lovers and business rivals, models such as Naomi Campbell whom he helped shoot to international stardom and fashion industry icons, including Anna Wintour, the legendary editor of Vogue.
Ball vividly recounts the behind-the scenes struggles – both creative and business – of Donatella as she stepped out of her brother’s long shadow and took control of the House of Versace. The book offers the first inside look at the enormous challenges Donatella faced in living up to Gianni’s genius, her struggle with a drug habit, her battles with her brother Santo and the mystery of why Gianni left control of his house to Donatella’s young daughter, Allegra. House of Versace is a compelling, highly readable tale of rise from obscurity, a painful fall and essential redemption as the Versace empire returned to health – for now.
Bringing together fashion, celebrity, business drama, jet-set lifestyles, and a notorious crime, House of Versace is an ancient-fashioned page-turner about a theme of enduring fascination.
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I just finished House of Versace and loved it tremendously. The research must
have been mammoth but it showed in the brilliant text. I also loved the writing
style. Regularly in either a well-researched piece or something dealing with fashion
and/or business, I become overwhelmed or bored. I was neither. One of the best
biographies I ever read was Charles Shields’ Mockingbird: a Portrait of Harper
Lee. I felt after finishing the book about a complex and incredible woman that
Shields took the perfect measure of praise and honest criticism. It is a right
and realistic book that should have made Ms Lee pleased that he chose to tackle
her biography. I felt EXACTLY the same when I finished this fantastic book.
Gianni should be honored that Deborah Ball chose to do his biography in such a
careful and honest manner
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
Yes, I loved this, too, but it’s not reasonably a 5-star for me. First, there was really small plot but, of course, that wasn’t the fault of the leader. The insight into the business of fashion was most appealing. Gawking at the rich and richer was fun, but kind of sad, too. Hard to admire people so caught up in their own excessive, self-indulgant lifestles. Really incredible to reflect that so much money is tossed around on wildly opulant parties, travel, mansions, and drugs with no regard for anyone but themselves. It certainly is a look into another world, a world few of us will ever (thankfully) glimpse. You may be surprised at some of the names that pop us from both the hollywood set and royalty. I give it 4 stars because it was well written and, rumor has it that, well researched. I would recommend it to anyone hooked on biographies (although this is more of a family tree business tale) and/or couture fashion. It is not a murder mystery.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
I loved this book and was sad when I finished it. I thought the book was very well written. It may have something to do with the 220 interviews that the leader conducted in order to really give you a clear picture and accurate timeline of the Versace family tree and the fashion world. It should be required reading for anyone going into the meadow of fashion or marketiing.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
I bought this book because I have permanently been interested in how people make money. This book is an brilliant read and gives insight on how Gianni Versace rose to the top. How a gay man had to battle scorn for not only be homosexual but being noveau rich. His influence from his mother Donatella inspired his designs. Ultimately, it’s like Greek tragedy for it’s ending.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
The Versace family tree’s tale is riveting. It’s basically a rags to riches tale with celebrities, rock ‘n’ roll, and murder mixed in. On top of that, there’s a moving finale, when Donatella descends into drugs, nearly trashes the company, and then fights her way back from the depths and emerges again to live another day. It would be a pleased ending, except that the company is still struggling and Versace’s heir, Allegra, is still grappling with the fallout from it all.
In less sure hands, the over-the-top material would overwhelm the leader. Deborah Ball does an brilliant job of capturing the drama and pathos while still getting the facts straight. The result is a behind-the-scenes peek at life in the quick lane that at the same time offers insight into the characthers’ inner lives. The book uses the family tree history as a way of looking at the changes in the fashion world in the past decades, and the impact that Gianni had on it. So anyone looking for a perspective on the fashion business, and for insight on how the fashion business has affected consumer tastes, would find food for thought here. And it doesn’t have the warmed-over feel of a mish-mash of ancient press clippings, because it’s clearly well researched. The leader’s time as a fashion reporter in Italy clearly helps make the book authentic.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5