family bonds

Donatella Versace makes rare remarks on the first time her brother Gianni came out to her

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Donatella Versace in a red dress on the red carpet
credit: Shutterstock

On Monday, a “Conversation with Donatella Versace” took place at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

The talk with the iconic fashion designer served as a launch of Versace Foundation and the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) new scholarship program for LGBTQ+ students.

While addressing the crowd of young queer creatives in the audience – which included Gigi Gorgeous and Drag Race star Kerri Colby – Donatella spoke on mentoring the next generation of designers and being an ally for the LGBTQ+ community in general.

Related:

The full trailer for ‘American Crime Story: Versace’ is finally here and it’s a doozy

The 10-episode series will premiere in January.

“Young people want to learn about fashion and we are here to help them. The paths of young people in the LGBT community are sometimes complicated, and many deserve a better chance in life,” Donatella said to the audience, according to FashionNetwork.com. “I have been surrounded by many people around me but the LGBT community has not always been welcome in our society. My role is to support this natural family, my brothers and sisters.”

Allyship sits close to Donatella’s heart and began with her actual brother and mentor Gianni Versace.

She recalled the first time Gianni came out to her when she was a very young girl and how it included a piece of fashion advice.

“When I was 11 years old, Gianni told me two things: the first to dye my hair blonde, the second that he was gay,” she shared.

His news did nothing to change her feelings toward her brother as the two grew even closer.

“I grew up in Calabria, in an environment not very open to gays, and I always supported him for being different,” she added. “He wanted me around him, I followed him everywhere. I am here because of him.”

Following Gianni’s murder in 1997, Donatella assumed creative control of her brother’s namesake luxury fashion house and has helped spearhead the brand’s success for nearly 30 years.

“Today, Versace employs more than 60% women and 48% of them hold executive positions,” Donatella said. “I claim my feminist status.”

Following the event, Donatella shared a video recap of the day and expressed gratitude for everyone on the frontlines of LGBTQ+ equality.

“It was an honor to visit the @lalgbtcenter, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ nonprofit, this week,” she captioned the clip. “This community has always been and will always be my family. I am so grateful to all the people who are fighting for our right to be our authentic selves.”

Donatella will debut Versace’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection on Friday in Los Angeles.

Get your fashion fix now by looking back at the gorgeous male models in Versace’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection from last June below:

Related:

Ricky Martin reached out to Versace’s lover after he criticized Martin’s television portrayal

Martin will portray Versace’s lover Antonio d’Amico in the 2018 season of “American Crime Story.”

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