Versace, Glamour & Hope: Inside London's Most Moving Fashion Exhibition
This article was written by Demi Karanikolaou for Harper’s Bazaar Greece. You can find it here.
A dazzling retrospective exhibition at Arches London Bridge brings the legacy of Gianni Versace to life, focusing on beauty, revolution and timeless optimism.
Can seductive glamour, nostalgia and social commentary exist in one fashion experience? The answer seems to be yes, and it comes from an unexpected source. While fashion exhibitions rarely trigger societal thoughts, the new Gianni Versace Retrospective at Arches London Bridge comes close. Rather than being a story about fashion or fame, the newly launched exhibition, rebuilds a world once defined by exuberance, sensuality and unapologetic beauty item by item. And there are a lot of iconic items: featuring the largest collection of vintage Gianni Versace designs ever displayed in the UK and with over 450 original garments, accessories, sketches, interviews and photographs, there is a lot to help you rebuild this sparkly world that seems more distant than ever. Yet, despite the excess of glamour, the energy feels familiar, like entering your socialite mother’s closet to discover a world of promise and a portal to better days. Unlike previous fashion exhibitions, sponsored by the brands themselves, the Gianni Versace Retrospective one is a true love letter to the work of the maestro of pure Italian excess - created by some of his biggest fans: the personal collectors.
“While the exhibition is not directly related to the Versace brand or family and they are not involved, we are in contact with them and they are aware,” said the curator, Karl von der Ahé. “We’ve been working with Gianni Versace as a subject for seven years now, every single day. Over that time, we’ve learned a great deal about him and his fashion. This exhibition is all about his legacy - what he did and what he created.”
Inside the space, an explosion of colours, luxurious materials and beauty transports the viewer into the mind of Gianni Versace himself, through his work. Boldly reinvented every season, his designs are showcased through a vibrant chronology of 21 collections (Spring/Summer 1988 – Autumn/Winter 1998). Having revolutionised fashion, Versace’s visionary collections - from opulent baroque prints to daring bondage designs - empowered women beyond comprehension. A prime example: Princess Diana leaned heavily into his style during the years after her divorce.
Perhaps the most unanticipated element of the exhibition comes from the unexpected link between Versace’s work and the city of London itself. “Gianni had a very close relationship with London and its people, with many locals being his friends and collaborators: Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, George Michael, Anna Wintour, Suzy Menkes and so many more. One of his early supporters was Roy Strong - then director of the V&A - and his first-ever solo exhibition took place here in 1985, at the ICA”, said von der Ahé.
A love letter to a fashion legend
Looking like an open archive, the collection has been amassed through private collectors passionate about the work of their favourite Italian designer. “This exhibition has been made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of collectors who have been preserving original Gianni Versace pieces for decades. We work with collectors from around the world who adore his work. We have known each other for decades and have become like family - La familia as they say in Italy. We’ve always worked in a way that reflects the Versace ethos: creatively, across borders, with people from different cultures and perspectives. Gianni’s fashion demands that kind of collaboration. It’s not that we’re trying to imitate him, but his creativity requires that kind of energy to be understood and honoured. We’ve also gotten to know people who worked with him personally, so we’ve had the chance to learn what he loved, how he thought. It’s very authentic,” said von der Ahé.
Versace & his icons
Of course, one of the most prominent aspects of Gianni Versace’s work has been the legends and muses who wore him. The exhibition includes iconic looks worn by Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elton John, Liz Hurley, George Michael and more. In one room, Anna Wintour’s butterfly mini dress and semi-sheer blouse/mini skirt combination remind us of a time when fashion insiders dared to show unapologetic sensuality. Princess Diana’s gowns are here too - fluid silks, understated cuts - pieces that spoke of a deep relationship and true friendship. Elsewhere, Naomi’s metal mesh minis, Kate’s featherlight slips, and Elizabeth Hurley-inspired safety-pin dresses stand as relics of an era that celebrated confidence, visibility, and perhaps a touch of scandal.
“Everyone wanted to work with him. He was the designer of the moment and on a level of his own,” recalls top model and Versace muse Marcus Schenkenberg, who was present at the opening. “He worked with the most well-known celebrities of the time, all of whom became his friends, not just collaborators. This created a powerful cultural moment. Being in a Versace campaign meant prestige, and the runway shows were truly legendary. Seeing all of his work again in person feels like stepping into a time capsule, like we’re back in the ’90s - it brings back so many memories.”
Excess & Optimism: Nostalgia for Versace’s Era
Wearing Versace in the 80s and 90s was far more than just another label - it transported the wearer into a unique class of cultural relevance. “His clothing became a statement of belonging,” said von der Ahé. “It was about showing you understood the new code of success.” The old rules were gone. This was the age of new wealth - Middle Eastern oil magnates, Wall Street wolves with their Rolexes and the rising darlings of the media world. Versace dressed them all with his baroque prints and daring silhouettes. It wasn’t just excess for the sake of it - it was the visual representation of aspiration, dreams and needs of an era where everything seemed possible. Gianni captured that essence and made it all wearable. “His vision bridged rock and royalty, high glamour and pop culture,” added co-curator Saskia Lubnow. As a plaque in the exhibition notes, the meteoric rise of the middle class and general optimism of the 90s created a hunger for self-expression. Gone were the strict cuts that concealed the body. Versace recognised that shift and responded with fashion that was expressive, joyful, and liberated. He freed women’s fashion from the constraints of masculine tailoring and focused on bold prints and vibrant colours - without ever compromising on quality.
Fast forward to 2025 and the mood is vastly different. “We live in troubled times and fashion seems to be leaning more and more towards minimalism. Do we need more of Versace’s maximalism and joy back?” I asked von der Ahé. “Exactly,” he replied. “In the ’80s and ’90s, there was a feeling that the world was opening. The Berlin Wall fell. Borders came down. Travel became easier. There was a societal optimism. Now, borders are going back up. That openness is closing, so even the younger generation is longing for that era. I think that world of optimism and excess ended the day Gianni was murdered.”
Ironically, acting as the light in the literal dark of the London bridge vaults where they are exhibited, the pieces in this exhibition seem to light something up in those who walk through it. They act as a window - a glimpse into a brighter, unapologetically glamorous world. “Gianni Versace represented hope. When you visit this exhibition, you feel that earlier energy - the quality, the optimism, the hope. But then you step back outside, and it’s hard to hold onto it. That contrast is real,” said von der Ahé.
A love letter to you
Gianni Versace didn’t just dress the big stars of fashion or Hollywood. He encapsulated a feeling and turned it into dresses, silk shirts and accessories. A feeling of joy, rebellion, of unapologetic beauty. A love letter to oneself. And in London, for a little while longer, the original content of that love letter gets to tell its story once again.
The Gianni Versace Retrospective is now open at Arches London Bridge and runs through Autumn 2025.
