Italian glass vase in clear, white, and black stripes with red base. Designed and signed by Gianni Versace for Venini Italy, incise signature and date 1998/1999. With Made in Murano sticker. 

Size: 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.

#2388 . 

Giovanni Maria “Gianni” Versace (1946 - 1997) was an Italian fashion designer, socialite and businessman. Versace began his apprenticeship at a young age at his mother’s sewing business in Reggio Calabria. He became interested in architecture before moving to Milan in 1973 to work as a fashion designer for Genny. His first boutique was opened in Milan’s Via della Spiga in 1978. Versace was very proud of his southern Italian heritage and infused his designs with motifs inspired by historical fashion and art movements, especially Greco-Roman art. In 1982 he expanded the business into jewelry and housewares, designing luxury furnishings, china and textiles for the home. In 1989 the firm expanded into haute couture with the launch of Atelier Versace. Versace became known for employing celebrities in his marketing campaigns and seating them in the front rows of his fashion shows, the first to do so. He is also credited with inventing the supermodel vogue of the 1990s, by discovering and featuring major supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista, all of whom he featured both on the runway and in advertisement campaigns. On July 15th, 1997, he was murdered outside his Miami Beach mansion by spree killer Andrew Cunanan. At the time of his death, Versace’s empire was valued at $807 million and included 130 boutiques across the world.