Gianni Versace identified key fashion drivers that still work today, says Caryn Franklin

To create an impactful retrospective of any fashion designer's work, there are things that must be in place - sensation and spectacle for instance. Karl von der Ahe, curator of the Gianni Versace Retrospective which opens in London today, agrees.

"The sheer number of original looks brings the era of Gianni Versace's reign to life like never before," he says. "Versace presented himself as constantly surprising, a creative spirit and a resurrected Renaissance prince.

"He took this connection between ego and product to the extreme. In this respect, he was a true artist: he lived for and through his work."

It's been 28 years since the Italian fashion designer was shot dead outside his Miami home - but his sartorial legacy still lives on.

Now, Versace's work is to be celebrated in an exhibition featuring 450 original vintage garments and accessories. Also included are iconic pieces worn by Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Sir Elton John and George Michael.

So, why do his designs still resonate with us strongly? Drama or conflict brings extra sizzle to any fashion house storytelling and Versace delivers on both counts.

Gianni was able to polarise opinion with his use of vibrant prints, luxurious materials, and the iconic Medusa motif that symbolises power and opulence.

But as was often the case, dissenters made their distaste clear. Suzy Menkes, the UK's leading and most revered fashion writer, critiqued Versace's designs as over-the-top or lacking in refinement. And British fashion commentators, myself included, labelled his work "kitsch" or "gaudy" for appealing to attention-seeking celebrities.

"This was his genius," explains Karl von der Ahe. "The nostalgic appeal of the Versace aesthetic of the 1990s shapes our current understanding of identity, fame and consumption."

Anna Wintour, American Vogue's former editor-in-chief, who reflected upon Gianni's legacy in 2018, agrees.

"Gianni Versace understood the importance of fashion as a global package," she said. "He brought the celebrities into the front rows. He used actresses and rock stars. He understood the importance of getting his image out there. He stands for glamour, sexiness, power and something a little wicked."

That's true. Milan Fashion Week would not have been complete without the statement finery and theatrical bling that accompanied the Versace catwalk shows of the '90s. During my TV days, we were under orders to bring back the full supermodel package, guaranteed backstage, and prior to the start of the show, I would roam the front row to capture celebrity soundbites for transmission on the BBC's Clothes Show.

In both, Versace did not disappoint and bettered other designers in the flamboyant excess that attracted the media. I was crew not FROW (front row darlings) and would later hear descriptions from fashion editor friends of amazing goody bags - luxurious gifts and limited edition show soundtracks provided by Gianni's music biz friends like Elton and Prince, who composed music specially for him.

Then there were post-show soirées in nightclubs, with an up close and personal performance from the likes of Robbie Williams, on a stage the size of a double bed. Versace effortlessly created sensation around his brand.

FROW operator Kathryn Flett, editor of the menswear magazines Arena and Arena Homme+ during this time, recalls numerous after show parties "always featuring the hot new faces. These male models were recruited as waiters and busboys fake-tanned, pecs oiled and wearing not very much as they passed you a glass of fizz".

"I hope they were paid well to be objectified, because they most certainly were. And at menswear shows my FROW sightline was invariably crotch-high for the swimwear sections: not a baggy board short to be seen. Which meant it was time to hide those 'Editrix' blushes by wearing large shades."

Smooth operator, canny marketeer or master craftsman? You can decide when the exhibition opens at Arches London Bridge today.

"His shows made Milan Fashion Week exciting," says FROW regular during the '90s, Iain R Webb, fashion editor at The Times and later fashion director at ELLE.

"What he did so well was create a believable lifestyle, which was seductive in its 'sensorial assault.'" It's a phrase which perfectly sums up how loyalties between the two Italian designer giants of the day came to be divided. "Versace's ebullient version of his Italian heritage was the antithesis of Armani's understated aesthetic."

And herein percolates the conflict. Versace, seemingly out of step with a cultural shift that moved away from the power dressing in brash colour palettes of the '80s to a visual conservatism of neutral tones in the '90s, struggled with the trend for minimalism.

Designers like Helmut Lang and Jil Sander could do no wrong, the Japanese, led by Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons, were labelled intellectual and Georgio Armani and Calvin Klein were culturally 'en point', building empires underpinned by tasteful elegance or plain simplicity. During this time and despite undeniable design skill, non-conformist Versace would be overlooked and even derided.

But if dismissive comparisons by tastemakers of the day hurt, as some say it did, Versace's response was a strategic ownership of bad taste by flipping criticisms into purposeful currency to challenge the boundaries of good taste or elitist refinement ideals. It is this forward thinking of what was to come, acknowledges Karl Von de Ahe, that requires celebration.

"Gianni's work and values resonate deeply in today's cultural climate. This exhibition draws a line between Gianni's world and our own, showing how much his vision still speaks to the present."

Iain R Webb vividly remembers the beaded Warhol-esque couture gowns capturing a moment of change. "These loud and outgoing design gestures and a love of art and pop culture at the dawn of the 1990s heralded the start of fashion's rebrand as entertainment," he notes. The parties got bigger and the sumptuous launches made headlines. The imagery of powerful and confident women in his designs: supermodels of the day such as Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford, who supported him on, and off stage, became iconic. In 1994, this Midas touch catapulted unknown actress Liz Hurley into the spotlight after she wore a game-changing red-carpet dress, slashed to the thigh and held together by Medusa-head safety pins.

It's a moment recognised for its cultural shockwave. One could say this was more than a flirtation with provocative, fetish wear, and hyper-femininity as Versace leveraged a growing excitement around fashion's ability to create a spectacle in the pre-internet era. His vision catered to any woman bold enough to enjoy the full attention of the male gaze. So together with his pleasure-seeking agenda, he identified a combination of excessive opulence and mischief that now commanded media attention.

Versace's ascent was seemingly guaranteed. That is until his shock murder in 1997. The gunman committed suicide some days later, leaving no note. This unexplained tragedy is accompanied by a further mystery when we learn that the whereabouts of the celebrated safety-pin dress are not known. Fortunately, Versace ensured there would be multiple images of Liz Hurley in THAT dress. Rest assured these will be on display.

Could the forthcoming retrospective be the establishment admiration that Versace always wanted and many will now say deserved? Kate Flett has the final word: "Versace is to be commended for never ever swerving from its brand's USP: 100% super-hot and super-glam, the go-to-label to get the party started!" Amen.

• Gianni Versace Retrospective at Arches London Bridge runs until March 1, 2026. For tickets, visit archeslondonbridge.co.uk
• To read more from Caryn Franklin visit Franklinonfashion.com