The Meaning and Evolution of the Versace Logo

A few words about Versace

The Versace brand was founded in Milan in 1978 by Gianni Versace with his brother Santo and sister Donatella. From the outset, the company stood out for their use of bright colors and exuberant elements. Initially, Versace offered only clothing and haute couture collections, but over the years the brand diversified to include accessories, jewelry and even home décor. Two dresses made them stand out on the international scene, first the one worn by Elizabeth Hurley in 1994 and the one worn by Jennifer Lopez in 2000.

Sadly, Gianni Versace was murdured in 1997. Santo and Donatella then took over the reins of the company. The Versace brand was acquired by Michael Kors in 2018. There are over 200 Versace boutiques around the world, and the company continues to collaborate with numerous celebrities to publicize their latest collections and raise their profile.

The first Versace logo

Versace has had different logos over the course of their existence. To start, Versace's first logo was not a combination logo, but a signature logo, a type of logo composed only of the brand name. At the time, the company was called Gianni Versace, not Versace. We can see here that the founder was the component the brand wished to promote. 

As we mentioned earlier, Versace is known for their colorful, lavish designs. The first logo, however, was relatively simple. It was simply the founder's name in a sans-serif font. Like many other luxury companies, black was the brand's main color. This first logo was used until 1990.

The evolution of the Versace brand over time

New decade, new logo. In 1990, Versace opted for a new signature logo with greater impact. The Italian brand was beginning to make a name for themselves as one of the trendiest brands. Black remained the brand's main color, but the font was changed to Radiant, a sans-serif typeface with much more personality. The company name remained Gianni Versace.

The famous Medusa head appeared in 1993 and remains the Versace symbol to this day. With the loss of the founder, the brand name changed to Versace in 1997. They also took advantage of these changes to unveil a new logo featuring both their symbol and the company name. In addition to a silhouette of a woman's face representing the legend, a Greek key, an ornamental pattern of broken straight lines was used to outline the circle. The text was also rounded to follow the shape of the circle.

Finally, in 2008, Versace decided to update their logo. The Medusa symbol remained, but its dimensions were reduced. The biggest changes were seen in the text. The Versace wording was given greater prominence and placed horizontally, no doubt for greater flexibility. Black remains the most used color for the Versace logo, but it is not uncommon to see gold being used.

Why is Medusa the symbol of Versace?

But why did Medusa become the symbol of Versace? There are many reasons why this Greek legend is perfect to represent this brand.

First, we need to consider the founder himself, Gianni Versace. Although the company was founded in Milan, he was originally from Cantabria, an Italian region that had been occupied by the Greeks.

Then you need to take the time to read the legend of Medusa, before and after her transformation into a monster. Originally, Medusa was known as one of the most beautiful women in Greece. Unfortunately, she was punished by Athena, who turned her hair into snakes and cursed her eyes. Anyone unfortunate enough to see her eyes was turned to stone. Gianni Versace wanted his creations to catch the eye and provoke a great reaction, just as Medusa did before and after being transformed.

How to get inspired by Versace when designing your logo

The evolution of the Versace brand can certainly give you some ideas when creating your logo. First, if you are the creator or founder, consider using your name as the company name. If this is also a component you wish to promote, choose a suitable logo type, such as a signature or combination logo.

Then, if you're looking for the perfect symbol for your logo, don't hesitate to draw inspiration from your local area. Many companies have done this, from BMW to Tommy Hilfiger. Here, Gianni Versace drew inspiration from the Greek influence of his home region. You can also look to legends and mythology for ideas.

In conclusion, when compared to Chanel or Louis Vuitton, Versace has become one of the best-known luxury brands rather quickly. Versace isn't afraid to create eye-catching garments and use their logo everywhere, whether directly on clothing or accessories. If you'd like to use a circle as the main shape for your logo and are looking for other ideas, read more about the evolution of the Starbucks logo.