A Gianni Versace Retrospective opened at Arches London Bridge on Tuesday, July 16. The exhibition, which runs until March 1 2026, honours the legacy of Gianni Versace and showcases the work of the extraordinary designer who transformed the fashion world. Featuring multiple installations and accompanied by striking visual and audio media, it offers an immersive experience and a dynamic exploration of his legacy, taking the audience back to an era of glamour and opulence.
The exhibition features the most extensive collection of Gianni Versace designs ever to be displayed in the UK, with over 450 original vintage garments, accessories, personal sketches, interviews and photographs, all of which illustrate the designer’s craftsmanship, innovation, and unmistakable aesthetic—from shirts, dresses, and jackets to iconic shoes and suits.
It includes many recognisable looks once worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Liz Hurley, George Michael and Anna Wintour. A selection of shirts borrowed from Elton John’s impressive shirt collection—he owns every silk shirt made by Gianni Versace—is also on display.
The exhibition also showcases outfits from some of his most praised catwalk collections, which were unparalleled for their controversial themes and unusual use of materials. There is a dress from his Spring/Summer 1991 ‘Pop’ collection, for example, which at the time brought together high and low fashion, using colourful designs. For this project, Versace worked with the Andy Warhol Foundation to create some of his most famous prints. Also on show are leather pieces from Gianni Versace’s Autumn/Winter 1992 collection, known as the “Miss S&M” or bondage show, featuring designs with straps, buckles, and metal detailing. This presentation was so controversial at the time that it divided opinions—some fashion journalists reporting that the clothes were objectifying women, whilst others praised the fact that women were given a choice.
A black dress with safety pins from the Spring/Summer 1994 Punk Collection, is also on display, reminiscent of ‘that dress’, held together with golden oversized safety pins with the Versace medusa heads on them, which Elisabeth Hurley wore at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral with Hugh Grant, making her a superstar overnight.
Gianni Versace: How It All Began
Gianni Versace (1946-1997) was unquestionably one of Italy’s most innovative designers. Strongly associated with the aesthetic of the 1990s, his fearless and visionary approach to design changed the face of fashion forever, and his multi-disciplinary approach to business transformed the industry.
Born in Reggio Calabria into a fashion family, his father, Antonio, was a businessman, and his mother, Franca, was a successful dressmaker, whom Gianni Versace referred to as “ahead of her time”. He grew up in her studio, surrounded by 45 seamstresses, which is where he learned to make clothes. Gianni Versace studied architecture before returning to his mother’s atelier to work with her as his buyer and designer. There, he dressed Alda Balestra, Miss Italy 1970. This was a defining moment in his career, as it sparked a relationship with the media and show business. Versace was aware of the value of celebrities, whom he would invite to sit in the front row of his shows. He also played a pivotal role in the rise of the Supermodel by featuring the same girls on the runway as in his advertising campaigns.
An Italian Family Affair
In 1972, he started designing for Florentine Flowers, a knitwear company, after which he moved to Milan. There he worked for Arnaldo Girombelli (who owned the fashion labels Genny, Complice and Callaghan) until 1978, when, backed by the Girombelli family, he launched his own fashion house: Gianni Versace. The new business was a family affair, with his brother Santo in charge of the accounts and his sister Donatella, who left Florence University to join them, as his right-hand woman, stylist and influencer.
On 15 July 1997, devastation came when Versace was shot dead outside Casa Casuarina, his Miami home, while returning from a walk. As the fashion world mourned, Donatella took over as creative director and later chief creative officer, a role she excelled at until March 2025, when, after almost 30 years, the Prada Group bought the Versace company.
The Exhibition: Gianni Versace Retrospective
Speaking to Karl von der Ahe, one of the curators for this exhibition, he tells me that what makes this presentation unique is that it’s the largest assembly of vintage Gianni Versace on public display in the world, capturing the genius that was Gianni Versace and reflecting a time that is so precious in the hearts and minds of the public right now—the 90s.
There are many key looks in the show, and amongst some of the most recognisable ones are those once worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, from the handbag design that was affectionately labelled the “Diana Bag”, to a stunning light pink suit. Karl von der Ahe also told me via email that Gianni had reached the pinnacle of his career when he helped Diana feel empowered at a moment of vulnerability, as she left the royal fold.
He also explained how the curatorial concept for the London show evolved into three main sections: Gianni Versace as a man and innovator, followed by Gianni in London (with Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elton John, George Michael, Diana, Princess of Wales and many more), and the third section looks at chronological celebrations of every Gianni Versace runway collection.
The exhibition, Karl von der Ahe tells me, is set against the backdrop of Victorian engineering mastery—the venue contains five interconnected railway arches—providing a fascinating and unique contrast.
The team behind this exhibition, DreamRealizer, has been working with Gianni Versace’s fashion for over 8 years. It has assembled some of the biggest collectors in the world to take part in the exhibition. Karl von der Ahe says: “When London came calling for the exhibition, we spent 6 months re-curating it, collecting new pieces with a very special focus on the city Gianni Versace loved.”
We discussed why the show is proving to be so successful, and he told me that the enormous attention they have received from the British and international press shows the interest in Gianni’s life and career is enduring, especially now. “In this specific moment, visitors, young and old, look back with nostalgia or new interest at the 1990s. Gianni was one of the first influencers, and the public is fascinated,” he says.
We conclude by agreeing that what makes the exhibition unique is that it’s the largest assembly of vintage Gianni Versace on public display in the world. It captures the genius that was Gianni Versace, reflecting a decade that is very precious in the hearts and minds of the public right now. It also brings to life some of the many magical moments that defined an era and created fashion history.