Gianni Versace Retrospective comes to Arches London Bridge

Peter Anderson
July 14, 2025

A major new Gianni Versace Retrospective comes to the UK for the first time opening from 16th July 2025 at Arches London Bridge. Honouring the legacy of a designer who transformed the fashion world, the exhibition will feature the largest collection of vintage Gianni Versace designs ever to be displayed in the UK with over 450 original vintage garments, accessories, personal sketches, interviews and photographs which showcase the designer’s craftsmanship, innovation, and unmistakable aesthetic.

The Gianni Versace Retrospective is presented on a London stage for the first time at Arches London Bridge and reflects the many ways the city and its people inspired the designer’s work. The exhibition includes iconic looks worn by Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elton John, Liz Hurley, George Michael and more – many of which have never been displayed in the UK before. This unique retrospective celebrates a visionary designer whose ground breaking work catapulted the Versace brand to a level of great international success that has sustained almost 30 years after his death. From opulent baroque prints to daring bondage designs, Gianni Versace’s visionary collections revolutionised fashion.

Exhibition curator Saskia Lubnow comments, “From catwalk to concert stage, Gianni Versace turned fashion into a global spectacle, with London always on the front row. At Arches London Bridge, his legacy will be reimagined with sound, images and iconic objects: from Kate in archival looks, his eternal muse Naomi as a cover star and the ‘Diana Bag’ under the spotlight. Gianni Versace’s vision bridged ‘Rock and Royalty’, high glamour and pop culture.”

Top Model Marcus Schenkenberg comments “Gianni was one of the most outstanding personalities I had the pleasure of meeting during my modelling career.I did many campaigns, shows and shoots for him. We were friends and I admired him greatly for his creativity and how consistently he realised his style. It will be wonderful to see so many of his iconic designs on display in a city that meant so much to him.”

Boldly reinvented every season, Gianni Versace’s designs will be showcased in the exhibition through a vibrant chronology of looks on display from 21 collections (Spring/Summer 1988 – Autumn/Winter 1987-88). Original runway show footage, videos, magazines and photographs displayed alongside, underscore the rapid changes in aesthetics during these years.

As the exhibition looks back, it considers how the nostalgic appeal of the ’90s Versace aesthetic underpins our current understanding of identity, fame, and consumption today. From social media influencers to the resurgence of ’90s-inspired aesthetics, the obsession with personal reinvention and excess remains ever-present, where trends are rapidly recycled and reinterpreted.

This exhibition is made possible by the tireless efforts of private collectors who have been collecting his clothing for decades and preserving it for posterity. Among them are Antonio Caravano, Rossella Catapano, Franco Jacassi, Salvatore Alderuccio, Doris Brugger, and more. For tickets and further information about the retrospective, please go to www.gianniversacelondon.co.uk.