Latest news with #DonatellaVersace
Miami Herald
17-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Why is Donatella Versace angry with a South Beach hotel? It's all in a name
Donatella is mad. The fashion icon and a force behind the Versace brand took to her Instagram account last weekend to denounce a new South Beach hotel and restaurant for using her name. 'The hotel and restaurant named 'Donatella', located near the property where my brother's life was taken, has and will never have anything to do with me, or my family,' she wrote. 'To try to capitalize on our tragedy and my name for profit is disgraceful.' Donatella Versace is the sister of Gianni Versace, the Italian fashion mogul murdered in 1997 on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. She also was a prominent fashion designer and CEO of Versace until March when she announced she'd step down. There is somewhat of a link between the hotel owners and the Versace empire. Hotel partner Joe Nakash acquired Versace's South Beach mansion in a New York auction in 2013 for $41.5 million. The runner-up was Donald Trump. But it's not clear if Nakash has had any relationship with Versace or his family. Since the six-room Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant opened a week ago at 1350 Collins Ave., the place has gotten its share of media attention. Some of the reports have described it as a 'sister property' to the former Versace Mansion, repeating language used in press releases sent out by the new hotel's public relations firm. So, is there really a connection? In a May 1 interview with the Miami Herald, hotel execute Jamil Dib said 'there's no connection. ... I don't know the family at all.' Since Donatella Versace's angry reaction, the hotel executives have declined to comment, except to say it's business as usual with an official public launch on May 21. Despite her message, Donatella may not be able to stop the Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant. The owners have obtained a trademark to use Donatella's name.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The rise and fall of Versace: Can Prada's £1 billion buyout save Donatella's legacy?
I first met Donatella Versace 19 years ago, but still clearly remember it. The platinum-coiffed queen of bling finished her Italian breakfast – a Marlboro Red and a double espresso – and wiggled through the glass doors leading to her design studio in Milan. She began pinning a navy blue A-line dress on a model and talked and talked and smoked and smoked. She explained her style aesthetic: bleached blonde hair, Bikini Atoll tan, the darkest eye make-up on the planet and dresses cut up to 'here' (indicating the top of her thighs), and down to 'there' (making a plunging V on her chest). 'I don't like natural,' she told me. 'For me, natural has something to do with vegetables.' How we loved her and her brother Gianni. They were the king and queen of 1980s splash 'n' spend luxe. They invented celebrity culture, once persuading the world's top four supermodels of the time – Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington – to walk the runway together to George Michael 's 'Freedom'. They created two of the most famous dresses ever made – Elizabeth Hurley 's safety-pin gown and Jennifer Lopez 's barely there jungle-print number – sanctioning outward displays of self-assured feminine sexuality. Gianni's acid yellow and gold baroque fantasy home on South Beach did more than Don Johnson to put Miami on the global style circuit and Versace was the first label to move on from styling clothes to styling suites. In 2000 the fashion house opened its inaugural opulent hotel on Australia's Gold Coast, south of Brisbane. I checked in shortly afterwards and it is the only hotel I have left, got to the end of the driveway and turned round and checked back in again. How could I resist one more night in Elton John heaven? Gianni was murdered in 1997 and now, after almost 30 years carrying the Medusa-head torch for excess, Donatella has left the palazzo. Last month Prada Group revealed it had bought Versace for £1 billion after its US owner, Capri Holdings, failed to reverse a dip in sales and profits as low as a Versace neckline. Under Capri, Versace's annual sales slumped to a meagre £600 million last year, compared with £6.5 billion for Gucci. 'Commercially, Versace is all but dead,' said Jonathan Siboni, chief executive of Paris-based research analyst Luxurynsight, when the deal was announced. Donatella, now 71, will stay on in an ambassadorial role. Following the news, she told her 12.5 million Instagram followers: 'It has been the greatest honour of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy.' Prada could scarcely be more different from Versace. Miuccia Prada, founder of the label as we know it, is a former communist whose collections are avant garde and come mainly in her favourite colour: grey. But might, just might, opposites attract? Could Prada bring Versace back from the brink? One man who should know the answer is the chief executive who worked with Donatella when the label last turned a healthy profit. Jonathan Akeroyd, Versace's CEO from 2016 to 2022, is 'very excited' by what Prada will do. 'Versace has incredible brand equity. A lot of people can instantly identify Versace, while they wouldn't be able to identify Valentino, Fendi or Ferragamo,' Akeroyd says. He adds that its Milan atelier 'is one of the best in the world' and the brand boasts big fragrance, underwear, homeware and fashion jewellery businesses. Prada is the right owner, he says. It is an Italian family business, 'which matters to a quintessentially Italian family brand like Versace'. It also has cash to invest. Prada Group is listed in Hong Kong, with a market capitalisation of nearly £12 billion. Since the pandemic, sales have continued to grow despite a downturn in the luxury market. Revenues rose 17 per cent to £4.6 billion last year. Prada 'has an incredible awareness of product, merchandising and marketing and it executes it as well as the mighty Louis Vuitton', says Akeroyd. Its expertise in Italian manufacturing, notably shoes and bags, will be a great asset. Versace lacks an It-bag or shoe line, which is odd for a brand that, until the Prada deal, was run by a woman who is so fond of stilettos she once said: 'I never wear flats. Every time I wear them I fall over.' A make-up line could be another growth segment. Fashion analysts say the key to success will be 'persuading people to think about visiting a Versace boutique after years when it has not been on their shopping list', as Luca Solca at Bernstein puts it. After decades of 'doing the same old thing and losing relevance', Versace 'needs to interpret the Versace code in a modern way that creates buzz'. Solca suggests Prada should take a leaf out of the playbook of Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri, the creative directors who were hired to revive Valentino. 'They introduced the metal Rockstuds, which instantly made the brand's shoes and bags desirable.' Much rests on the youthful shoulders of Dario Vitale, 41, Versace's new creative director. He helped to create the wildly successful rebel college girl look at Prada's little sister brand Miu Miu. Can lightning strike twice? Fashion and luxury industry adviser Achim Berg sees advantages in Prada's 'growing property portfolio'. Versace's 230 boutiques and 600 other points of sale in department stores and outlet stores are, he argues, too much for a brand with a relatively small turnover. He recommends swapping a few Versace boutiques for Miu Miu. Versace and Prada executives will be swapping places, too, he predicts. 'Renewal will happen on the management and creative side.' Hospitality analysts hope Versace expands its hotel operations beyond Dubai, now its sole venue after the Australian property was sold in 2023 (it had become tired). Better operators could help; perhaps Four Seasons which is on a roll now thanks to its association with the hit TV show The White Lotus. Put it all together and Berg reckons that Versace could generate over £2 billion in annual sales. What of Donatella herself? Those who are close to Prada say that she may have a role in the celebrity side of the business. They point out that she has 'a good eye and has consistently chosen the right supermodels, actors and musicians for Versace', as one puts it – one of the latest being Lady Gaga. She could be key in persuading new stars to front 'fresh and young' advertising campaigns that connect with a generation that doesn't remember the 80s glory days. But Donatella won't be back in the Milan studio. As someone well acquainted with her puts it, 'Prada knows that if they let her in, she wouldn't be able to stop herself getting involved in design because she loves it so much. She'd be in the office all the time and it would be a distraction.' In that case, I should give the last word to Donatella because what she told me 19 years ago seems appropriate today. The queen of glitz said she wanted to re-establish Versace as 'the ultimate Italian luxury lifestyle brand' with clothes, accessories, jewellery, homeware, hotels and travel goods. 'A unique 360-degree lifestyle, 365 days a year – an Italian dream,' she said. Over to you, Miuccia Prada. Dream big.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Donatella Versace savages 'disgraceful' Miami hotel 'trying to capitalize on family tragedy'
Donatella Versace has slammed a Miami hotel and restaurant for using her name for profit. Nakash Group and Vida & Estilo turned her late brother Gianni Versace 's sprawling home, where he was gunned down in 1997, into two hospitality establishments. The two businesses are calling the spaces Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant. In response, the 70-year-old designer — who recently stepped down as Versace Creative Director — shared a statement on social media condemning the move. 'Let me be clear. The hotel and restaurant named Donatella, located near our former family home in Miami, will never have anything to do with me or my family. To try to capitalize on our tragedy and my name for profit is disgraceful,' she wrote on Instagram. According to the publication Ocean Drive, chef Alessandro Morrone's restaurant will accommodate up to 170 patrons, and the hotel will have six rooms. The style inspiration behind the lodging and eatery is 'Mediterranean-inspired coastal elegance.' Offerings will include a spa, private beach access, daybed rentals, a fitness center and jet ski rentals. Page Six reported this week that the Nakash family scooped up Gianni's mansion for $41.5 million in 2013. It had previously been sold to telecommunications tycoon Peter Loftin by the Versace camp in 2000. The fashion mogul's death sent shock waves through the country on July 15, 1997 when he was murdered at the hands of serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Upon returning to his home in South Miami Beach that day, he was shot twice and collapsed to his death on the front steps. In March Donatella exited her post as the head of the fashion giant founded by her brother Gianni amid 'issues' between her and Capri Holdings, which bought the label in 2018. The Italian fashionista had filled the role since Gianni's death, but has now been replaced by Dario Vitale. Her departure was announced on Instagram and revealed that she would assume the role of Chief Brand Ambassador starting April 1. 'In her new role she will dedicate herself to the support of Versace's philanthropic and charitable endeavors and remain an advocate for the brand globally,' a joint post between Donatella and the official Versace accounts read. Donatella said: 'Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. It's been the greatest honour of my life to carry on my brother Gianni's legacy. He was the true genius but I hope to have some of his spirit and tenacity.' Sources close to both parties said that things have been 'very difficult' between Donatella and Capri for some time, despite her being hailed as the savior of the brand in part by attracting A-list celebrities to the clothes.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
/C O R R E C T I O N -- Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant/
In the news release, Clarification on Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant Grand Opening, issued 13-May-2025 by Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company of an update to the 1st and 2nd paragraphs. The complete, corrected release follows: The Boutique Property Prepares for Grand Opening May 21 MIAMI BEACH, Fla., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As excitement builds for the debut of Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant, the team behind the project would like to clarify recent media reports that incorrectly suggested an affiliation with Ms. Donatella Versace. While the name "Donatella" reflects the hotel's Mediterranean-inspired vision of elegance, the brand is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Donatella Versace. Located at 1350 Collins Avenue in the heart of South Beach, Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is the latest project fromThe Nakash Group, owners of The Setai, Miami Beach, and The Villa Casa Casuarina, in partnership with Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group, South Florida's premier hospitality operator. This thoughtfully restored property—originally designed by Wallace Tutt, the famed architect behind Casa Casuarina—offers just six luxurious guest rooms, blending historic charm with modern sophistication. The hotel's signature restaurant, Donatella Restaurant, will bring a vibrant taste of Southern Italy to Miami Beach. Under the direction of Executive Chef Alessandro Morrone, the menu features handmade pastas, coastal seafood, and refined Italian classics, using the freshest seasonal ingredients. The restaurant offers a stunning setting with seating for up to 170 guests and a private dining room for intimate celebrations. The grand opening of Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is set for May 21, 2025, with reservations now available at and Contact: jesslyn@ View original content: SOURCE Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Clarification on Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant Grand Opening
The Boutique Property Prepares for Grand Opening May 21 MIAMI BEACH, Fla., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As excitement builds for the debut of Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant, the team behind the project would like to clarify recent media reports that incorrectly suggested an affiliation with Ms. Donatella Versace. While the name 'Donatella' reflects the hotel's Mediterranean-inspired vision of elegance, the brand is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Donatella Versace or the Versace brand. Located at 1350 Collins Avenue in the heart of South Beach, Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is the latest project fromThe Nakash Group, owners of The Setai, Miami Beach, and The Villa Casa Casuarina, in partnership with Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group, South Florida's premier hospitality operator. This thoughtfully restored property—originally designed by Wallace Tutt, the famed architect behind Casa Casuarina the former Versace Mansion—offers just six luxurious guest rooms, blending historic charm with modern sophistication. The hotel's signature restaurant, Donatella Restaurant, will bring a vibrant taste of Southern Italy to Miami Beach. Under the direction of Executive Chef Alessandro Morrone, the menu features handmade pastas, coastal seafood, and refined Italian classics, using the freshest seasonal ingredients. The restaurant offers a stunning setting with seating for up to 170 guests and a private dining room for intimate celebrations. The grand opening of Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant is set for May 21, 2025, with reservations now available at and Contact: [email protected] View original content: SOURCE Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant
