In the high fashion industry, few hold sway as much as the Italian fashion house Versace. Although it was founded in 1978 and is relatively young compared to its peers, the label has consistently ranked among the highest in terms of popularity and revenue. Just last year, Versace’s revenue exceeded $1 billion. Additionally, it was recognized as one of the most followed luxury brands on social media. Over the decades, a significant portion of this success can be attributed to its eyewear arm.
Established in 1982, Versace’s eyewear offerings are rooted in the same ethos of decadence that made its clothing a hit. In fact, the eyewear that millions know and love today would not be where it is without the consistent patronage of the international who’s who. From royals to rappers, read on to know more about Versace’s most illustrious relationships.
High-status beginnings
During its early decades, Versace eyewear was intentionally designed to cater to more well-off crowds. Apart from having impressive price tags, these items were only available in their physical stores, which were purposely located in more well-heeled metropolitan shopping areas. This was all part of the fashion house’s strategy to cement its status as a premium goods provider. Part of this strategy included dressing some of the most famous people in high society.
The most notable of these was none other than the late Princess of Wales herself. In the ’90s, Princess Diana was spotted wearing multiple Versace items. This includes some of her most celebrated looks, which include her iconic 1995 little white Versace dress that had her topping Best Dressed lists. Over the years, she was also spotted wearing Versace designs to other formal events, like a 1996 event at the Chicago Field Museum. Her love for the brand extended to her private life. Famously, she was snapped wearing shades from the brand while vacationing with her late paramour Dodi Fayed. This ensemble was so popular that it was even recreated in season six of The Crown. Of course, Princess Diana’s and other high-standing individuals’ appreciation for a bold brand like Versace made sense, given how fashion can be a statement. As mentioned in Dr. Max Barnish’s article on the politics of women’s fashion, how a person dresses can signify their values and personality in a way that words may be limiting. As such, by working with Versace, the international cream of the crop was able to express their confidence while also offering the brand valuable credibility.
Contemporary celeb essential
Further into the ’90s and early ’00s, Versace began branching out into celebrity partnerships. At this time, other premium fashion houses like Chanel were a bit hesitant to do so for fear of impacting their “untouchable” reputations. It turns out that this was a wise and forward-thinking stance by the Italian label, as celebrities were steadily overtaking the fashion world, too. One such partnership that continues to benefit Versace to this day is their work with the rapper Biggie Smalls. Throughout his career, the musician was known for preferring a number of high-end brands as a form of self-expression and as a celebration of his success. This includes Versace sunglasses. In particular, the late rapper and producer was fond of the Medusa model, which featured oversized frames punctuated with the label’s signature medallion. To this day, the shades are so closely associated with the rapper that they’ve been renamed the Medusa Biggies. On retailer Sunglass Hut, you can even see that the label’s latest eyewear campaign includes a new supersized iteration of this style.
Presently, Versace eyewear is seen more on celebrities and influencers. Campaigns are also almost always exclusively led by A-lister performers or athletes. For instance, last year’s highly acclaimed men’s collection was modeled by NBA superstar Dwyane Wade. The campaign, which also included Versace optical glasses, marked the former pro baller’s second time working with the brand’s eyewear team. Even more recently, the label’s late 2024 releases were showcased by younger celebrities, including American singer Sabrina Carpenter. So, while Versace’s eyewear success is undoubtedly thanks to its pioneering style and vision, there’s no doubt that its association with the right people has paid off. In the future, only time will tell which next breed of famous folks will be drawn to Versace eyewear next.
