It is with deep sadness the world mourns the passing of Gianni Versace, age 50, who died on 15 July 1997. Gianni was an Italian fashion designer and founder of international fashion house Versace. He rose to fame in the 1970s for his flair for design, bold sense of color and modernisation of classic silhouettes. Over the course of his career, he achieved international recognition for his designs, dressing some of the most influential people in the world and winning many awards. Gianni's life experience and creative vision inspired many in the fashion industry, including his sister Donatella who took the reins of the Versace fashion house upon his death. He will be remembered as a pioneer of fashion and for his incomparable legacy that lives on through the Versace brand. He will be dearly missed by his family, friends and all whose lives he touched.