On the morning of July 15, 1997, Gianni Versace (50 years old) — the Italian fashion emperor — was returning to his mansion (Casa Casuarina) in Miami Beach after buying the morning newspapers. He was wearing white shorts and a black shirt. On the marble steps of his luxurious palace (built in 1930), a young man (27 years old) wearing shabby clothes approached him. He pulled out a .40 caliber pistol. He fired two bullets into Versace's head at point-blank range. Versace fell on the steps. Blood stained the gilded iron gate. The killer fled. In 8 minutes, Versace was dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The killer: Andrew Cunanan (27 years old) — a serial killer who was on the FBI's Most Wanted list after killing 4 other men in 3 months. The motive: Jealousy? Mental illness? A desire for fame? After 8 days of a nationwide manhunt, Cunanan committed suicide on a houseboat (shooting himself in the mouth). He took his secret to the grave. Why did he kill Versace? No one knows. Maybe they met once years before. Maybe it was a delusion in Cunanan's sick mind. Maybe... we will never know.
Summary: Gianni Versace (1946-1997). Italian fashion designer. Founder of the House of Versace (1978). Net worth: $1.5 billion. Assassinated July 15, 1997 outside his Miami Beach mansion. Killer: Andrew Cunanan (27) — serial killer. 5 victims in 3 months (including Versace). Cunanan committed suicide July 23, 1997 (8 days after the assassination). Motive: Unknown. Versace's funeral at Milan Cathedral: attended by Princess Diana (6 weeks before her death), Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni.
👤 Andrew Cunanan: The Killer Who Wanted Fame
Andrew Cunanan (1969-1997) was a handsome, intelligent (IQ 147), cultured, gay young man. But he was also a pathological liar, mentally disturbed, addicted to alcohol and drugs. He dreamed of fame and wealth. He lived a lavish lifestyle (on the money of his wealthy lovers). In April 1997, he began a murder spree across 3 states. He killed 4 men (two of them former lovers). He stole their cars. He used their credit cards. The FBI placed him on the Ten Most Wanted list. In May, he arrived in Miami. He lived in a cheap hotel 4 kilometers from Versace's mansion. For two months, he did nothing. Then on July 15... he killed Versace. Why Versace? Theory: Cunanan knew Versace (they met at a party in 1990 in San Francisco). Maybe he felt jealous of his success. Maybe he suffered from delusions of grandeur (he told friends he was a "close friend" of Versace — maybe he was lying). In the end, he took the motive with him to the grave.
"I don't design clothes. I design dreams."
🕯️ The Funeral of Kings
On July 22, 1997, Versace's funeral was held at Milan Cathedral (Duomo). 2,000 people attended (including some of the most famous people in the world). Princess Diana (his close friend) sat next to Elton John. Diana wept. Elton John played "Candle in the Wind" (a new version dedicated to Versace). Only 6 weeks later... Diana died in a car crash in Paris (August 31, 1997). The world was shocked. Two images from Versace's funeral remain immortal: Diana comforting Gianni's brother (Donatella). And Diana weeping. A month and a half later... Diana was also dead.
The Versace Empire After Gianni
"After Gianni's murder, his sister Donatella (age 40) inherited the empire. She was also a fashion designer (but less famous). She led the house for 20 years. She transformed it into a global brand (perfumes, bags, hotels). In 2018, she sold the house to Michael Kors for $2.1 billion. Today, Versace is one of the top 10 fashion houses in the world. Casa Casuarina (the crime scene) was turned into a luxury hotel. The room where Gianni slept... is always booked. Visitors come to see the marble steps where he was killed. Gianni Versace died. But his name... will never die."