Donatella Versace Dressed Jacksons

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Donatella Versace Dressed Jacksons

Posted at 07/10/2009 by Staff 0 Comment

Vanity Fair is reporting that designer Donatella Versace was called in by Janet Jackson to dress the entire family for Michael Jackson’s memorial service on Tuesday. The magazine says that Donatella’s brother, Gianni, who passed away in 1997, had a close working relationship with Michael Jackson:

It was Gianni who first collaborated with Michael, back in 1983; the designer was still an up-and-comer, and the singer was already a superstar in need of an ensemble worthy of a duet with Paul McCartney (“Say Say Say”). The unusual black-and-white-checked tailcoat Gianni whipped up must have pleased Jackson, as he continued to wear Versace both on- and offstage throughout his life. Several of Michael’s iconic, military-inspired costumes, as seen in both the Dangerous and HIStory tours, were Versace creations. Michael also liked his women in Versace: Janet wore the label onstage during her recent Rock Witchu tour, and Lisa Marie Presley appeared in campaigns for Versace’s offshoot label Versus during her marriage to M.J.

Here’s how Vanity Fair characterizes Donatella’s designs for the memorial:

For Tuesday’s memorial, Donatella created more fittingly somber numbers than the frogged gold jackets and bodysuits her brother designed for Michael decades ago. The Jackson men were outfitted in sharp black suits and subtly golden ties. When it came to the women, Donatella couldn’t help but add some Versace flair, apparent in the sassy wide brim of Latoya’s hat and the subtly revealing sheer panels of Janet’s black sheath.

In a move that was both Versace flash and poignant homage, the men displayed a single white glove as they carried Michael’s fittingly flamboyant gold casket.