Versace

The Versace fashion house was founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace in Milan, Italy, quickly becoming a symbol of Italian luxury and fashion worldwide. In 1989, Versace launched its first watch collection called 'Atelier,' designed with the maison's intrinsic style and characterized by the Medusa logo. In 1996, Versace won the De Beers award with its 'Tiara' watch featuring over 1,200 diamonds, and collaborated with Franck Muller on a limited edition jewelry watch collection. In 1998, Versace SA was established as an independent company for watches, jewelry, and writing instruments. The brand took a major step in 2004 when it partnered with Timex Group to form Vertime SA in Switzerland, launching the successful DV One collection. In 2007, Versace released the DV One Chrono COSC chronometer-certified limited edition, and in 2008 introduced its first mechanical tourbillon timepiece. Following Gianni Versace's murder in 1997, his sister Donatella Versace took creative control and continues to influence the brand's direction. Versace was acquired by Michael Kors (Capri Holdings) in 2018 for $2.12 billion, and in December 2025, Prada completed its acquisition of Versace for $1.375 billion.