10 October, London – Farfetch and William Vintage - the leading London-based brand for curated, luxury vintage clothing, have joined forces to celebrate the life and work of the inimitable Gianni Versace. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the designer’s untimely death, William Vintage will unveil 500 pieces online exclusively via Farfetch, the William Vintage website and at the William Vintage flagship store in Marylebone.
Fusing the worlds of fashion, music, film, art and pop culture, Gianni Versace created a global fashion empire. Credited with the creation of the ‘supermodel’ and dressing the world’s most influential and iconic women, his clothes exuded power, certainty and beauty.
The William Vintage collection of 500 pieces spans 20 years from Versace’s early designs in 1977, through to his final Autumn/Winter 1997 collection, and is believed to be the largest collection ever to become available. Including rare and important pieces from Versace’s most iconic seasons, the launch includes the Warhol-inspired ‘Pop’ collection of 1991, the ‘Bondage’ collection of Autumn/Winter 1992 and the fabled ‘Punk’ collection of Spring/Summer 1994, amongst many other key runway looks of the era.
William Banks-Blaney, Founder of William Vintage said: “Gianni Versace was about pure, unadulterated glamour and his collections were always joyful. Within that exuberance was a designer with an eye for precision and superb tailoring and who above all else loved women. From the ‘Pop’ collection of 1991 to the 1992 S&M and to the ‘Punk’ of 1994, he changed the perception of fashion, of runway shows and created the idea of the supermodel; the confident, unapologetic and unashamedly feminine woman.”
Candice Fragis, Buying & Merchandising Director at Farfetch said: “As we continue to cultivate a selection of the world’s very best timeless and unique luxury pieces, we are so excited to partner with a vintage brand as prolific as William Vintage. The collection perfectly represents the iconic years of the brand with Gianni Versace at its helm. We are honoured to unveil this collection to our global customers via Farfetch.com."
The William Vintage Gianni Versace Archive Collection will be available to buy online via Farfetch.com and www.williamvintage.com and in store at the William Vintage Flagship in Marylebone, London
