Late last year, Italian fashion house VERSACE named Lady Gaga as the new face of its Spring/Summer 2014 campaign.
“#Versace proudly confirms @LadyGaga as the face of SS14 campaign shot by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott #VersaceLovesGaga,” tweeted the brand.
Gaga also took to twitter to share her excitement. I hope to see these kinds of music meets fashion collabos in Africa’s entertainment industries, starting with Nigeria’s. I think this is the direction we ought to be moving for obvious reasons, including the economy well being and positive psyche that will benefit Africa and its citizens.
If you are not much of a fashion person, I’ll give you a brief history of the Versace label.
In the 1990s, Gianni Versace emerged as a fashion designer who brought sex, glamour and celebrity star power to fashion. He actually launched his first solo collection in 1975 for ‘Complice.’ In 1990, he had his first haute couture show in Paris at the Ritz hotel and subsequently he made millions in sales worldwide. When he opened a flagship store in Los Angeles on Rodeo drive, he as making as much as $500,000 in sales in a single month! In 1997,h was murdered by an American spree killer, in Miami, who was subsequently placed on the FBI’s most wanted list. At this point, his sister Donatella Versace stepped in to become the brand’s creative director while their older brother Santo became CEO.
Donatella’s daughter, consistent with Gianni’s will, also holds 50% of the share in the business. As with big fashion companies, there were and have been some changes especially during the tough economic times, and the brand has since seen various CEOs. The current CEO is Jill Sander. I still recall the news and feeling when many in the industry heard Versace was dead.
Spring 2014 Versace Show
Watch Troy Carter, the Brain Behind the Lady Gaga Success, Share What it Takes to Build the Success that is Gaga.
