Woman's dress

Gianni Versace is one of the most well-known designers of the 1980s and 1990s. He was celebrated for his sexy and creative clothing, which was often worn by celebrities and models. Early in his career he became interested in working with a softly draping metallic mesh. During the late 1970s and early 1980s he created classically-inspired dresses such as this "gladiator" dress, which plays off the animal-print metallic fabric as both alluring and as a kind of pseudo-protective armor. Versace continued to return to this fabric throughout his career.