From Rock to Royalty, from Pop to Power, from Image to Icon... a journey through Gianni's British Connections in Music, Fashion & Culture.
London Focus
London can stage magnificent displays. But London can also reveal its raw heart, with its abundance of brick and breathless energy. Our exhibition in London plays with precisely this contrast, employing highly immersive set designs that bring Gianni Versace's world to the capital of pop culture.
| START | : 16 July 2025 |
| END | : 01 March 2026 |
| OPENING EVENT | : Press Tour, Guided Tour, Party |
| VENUE NAME | : Arches London Bridge |
When you think of Gianni Versace and London, certain figures immediately come to mind. It’s striking how closely connected Versace’s London circle truly was. What could be more fitting, then, than to conceive this exhibition in the very city that shaped so many of the personalities central to his life? In this sense, the exhibition is unique: it tells Gianni Versace’s story through his relationships with Londoners.
Elton John — his friend and longtime collaborator, for whom he designed not only stage costumes but the entire concept of a comeback tour.
Princess Diana — who, in the final years of her life, became the very embodiment of the “Versace woman” and who tragically died just weeks after him.
Two of his favorite models, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss — both London-born — who carried British flair into the Italian fashion world.
Liz Hurley — whose career was catapulted by the iconic Versace “safety pin dress.”
And Sting and his wife Trudie — who quite literally married “in Versace.”
George Michael — whose song “Freedom!” became the soundtrack to one of Versace’s most spectacular runway shows, the moment that cemented the myth of the supermodel.
Outfits from all of them — and many more — will be showcased in the exhibition, pieces that will likely never be seen together again.
All of this unfolds inside the Arches at London Bridge, the raw brick vaults beneath the station transformed into a fully immersive Gianni Versace universe. Perhaps this is what Versace loved most about London: his sense of splendor reflected in a city alive with royalty, finance, pop culture, and brick. It doesn’t get better than this.
A/W 1996-97, Naomi Campbell wore this bold purple leather mini-dress look by Gianni Versace on the cover of Spanish Vogue, December 1996. The joyful image perfectly captured Naomi Campbell's vibrant energy and embodied the confident glamour of 1990s Versace style, a powerful fusion of bold colour, sensual material, and supermodel charisma.
A/W 1994-95, On 6 March 1996, the Princess of Wales visited the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in Queen Square, London, wearing this Autumn/Winter 1994-95 Haute Couture skirt suit. The look features a pastel pink and cream checkered wool, tailored into a single-breasted blazer with notch lapels and a matching pencil skirt. Blending softness with structured elegance, the ensemble reflects Diana's embrace of contemporary couture and her ongoing fashion collaboration with Gianni Versace.
S/S 1990, This heavely printed jacket was worn by Elton John during a performance at the opening of Planet Hollywood Café in London in the early 1990s. A close friend and frequent collaborator of Gianni Versace, Elton John's flamboyant style aligned naturally with Versace's bold aesthetic.
‘My collection? It’s going to be very punk, with a lot of black, leather and piercing, because punk is joy, it’s nonconformism… I’d like to see everyone wearing punk right down to Lady Diana, whom I think would look great in a knitwear dress with holes punched in it.’ – Gianni Versace
When did the UK become ‘cool’ for Gianni Versace? And what made it cool for Gianni Versace, apparently long before Vanity Fair declared on its March 1997 cover that Britain was ‘swinging again?’ Certainly not Margaret Thatcher herself, but rather the financial markets she unleashed, which created new customer bases for luxury goods and opened up an exciting new market. In this respect, placing a flagship store on Bond Street was a smart investment. Beyond economics, the UK with its global influence also served as Europe’s gateway to global Anglo-American pop culture. Many British pop celebrities dominated the charts in the 1980s and 1990s and became regulars in Gianni Versace's front rows. Crucially, his close friend Elton John opened the door to this world, including to Lady Diana, –introducing Gianni Versace to a new level of British society. Londoners Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss became the defining faces of his 1990s catwalks. The Brits Anna Wintour and Suzy Menkes were the most relevant fashion critics during the height of his career.
Gianni Versace and Britain: a business and love story in many acts, leaving a lasting urban imprint on his fashion...
Team Gianni
Doris Brugger and Rossella Catapano
Private Collectors
Doriana & Salvatore Alderuccio, Vincenzo Ambrosino, Diego Beavita, Mvr. Buelens, Antonio Caravano with Sabina Albano, Robert Clayton, Dreamrealizer, Franco Jacassi, Adrian Louden, Beppe Trevis and Antonio Zorrilla
40 MILLION
MEDIA IMPACT
VISITORS
MORE THAN 500
COLLECTION PIECES
DAILY TICKET
SALES
"Major Gianni Versace exhibition to open in London"
„I was beyond excited to have a preview of the new Gianni Versace exhibition for @lorraine today. It literally took me back to the 90’s with so many iconic outfits. From the bag and dress Princess Diana wore to Gianni’s memorial, the ‘Don’t let the sun go down on me’ outfits worn by George Michael and Elton John. And I even got to meet my teenage crush.. supermodel @marcusschenkenberg ...“
"London exhibition puts vintage Versace designs on display “
"From Princess Diana to Tupac: London exhibition celebrates Gianni Versace’s dazzling fashion legacy"
"The Gianni Versace Retrospective, which opens its doors today … is set to be the biggest UK exhibition ever dedicated to the legendary designer."
"As a Gianni Versace retrospective opens at Arches London Bridge, how Princess Diana helped the designer make fashion history"
"Gianni Versace Retrospective. Arriva la mostra dedicata allo stilista nel cuore di Londra"
"Versace’s legacy is more than just daring dresses "
"Gianni Versace Retrospektive zieht nach London"
"Gianni Versace, i look “cult” da Lady Diana a Naomi e Kate Moss"Ha trasformato la moda in uno spettacolo globale". A Londra per la prima volta in mostra oltre 450 creazioni vintage"
"Dziś już nikt nie bawi się modą."
"Gianni Versace's Legacy Shines in Landmark London Exhibition"
P U B L I C A T I O N S » nationwide media coverage
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL PRESS/MEDIA
Newspaper Print/Online: Independent, WELT, Helsingin Sanomat, il sole 24 ore, Zwierciadlo, The Manila Times, Pambianconews
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Radio: BBC Radio London, London One Radion
Agency reports: Reuters, Assiocated Press, Getty Images, msn, Pond 5 by Shutterstock
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Portal: Time Out, Visit London, Visit Britain, Tripadvisor, Secret London, London On The Inside, London World, Sidetrack London, At London Bridge, World-Tourism.org, and more
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Blogs and posts (social media) are not listed.
The focus of the exhibition’s opening in London was firmly on the exhibition itself. Hundreds of invited guests from London’s cultural scene, along with numerous media representatives, were in attendance. Few words were spoken, yet the walk through the impressive rooms in the heart of the British capital was captivating. A purple “red carpet” led to the entrance of the catwalk, where British small talk set the tone for countless engaging personal encounters.
PURPLE CARPET | PRESS PHOTOS & TOUR | SPEECHES | ROUND TOUR | PARTY WITH DJ
