Versace : The Naked and the Dressed: 20 Years of Versace by Avedon (Hardcover)

~ (Photographer), Gianni Versace (Principal)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When Gianni Versace was shot dead outside his Miami villa on July 15, 1997, few believed that his fashion empire would survive. The chutzpah and flamboyance of Versace the fashion house seemed inseparable from Versace the man. And yet, a year later, Versace remained buoyant, its reputation and market position if anything enhanced by its creator's tragic fate.

This book goes some way toward explaining why. From his first 1980 collection, Versace cannily engaged a great photographer, Richard Avedon, who stylishly wedded his designs to a potent blend of celebrity, beauty, flesh, sex, and humor, which became instantly identifiable as Versace--poised, pansexual, tongue firmly in sculptured cheek. Whether in trademarked group shots of intricately entangled supermodels, Stallone nude and stone-faced, Elton gleeful in drag, or Bon Jovi proudly strutting his buff bod, Avedon equals Versace--to the extent that he can show Kate Moss, without a stitch of Versace (or anything else), and we know that she is thinking Versace. This gorgeous volume collects more than 170 photographs, and gives us, as it justly proclaims: "A glimpse of the impassioned shameful opulent titillating sewmanship of that daredevil magician of art and artifice who was and will always be Gianni Versace." --Alan Stewart

Product Description

This book is almost completely full-bleed photographs taken by Richard Avedon of the Versace collections. The book is divided into 8 sections, by themes: Rembrance of Flings Past; Lust & Found; That Obscure Object of Desire; Gathering Moss; Rocks and Other Hard Places; The Way of All Mesh; Look Homeward Angel; and A Quick Stitch in Time. The sequencing of the photographs makes for an amusing, sexy presentation.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (October 27, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375501576
• ISBN-13: 978-0375501579
• Product Dimensions: 13.5 x 10 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #283,578 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nostalgic and somewhat delightful, May 10, 1999

By A Customer

This is an archive of the advertisments and editorials for Versace. His pictures, like his clothes are refreshing, and surprising. Those who buy this book will encounter some director's cut images. However, "The Naked" lacks the better Versace campigns. Those familiar with Versace photographs will wonder why they did not include the better shots... Some pictures are amazing, yet, some didn't have the luster. And unfortunately, the bad outnumber the good. With the price, it is still a good buy but leaves you craving more.