Atelier Versace

founded by

Donatella Versace

about

Exclusive and glamorous, the Atelier Versace collection is breathtaking and original.

Versace Atelier, a couture brand decided in 2004 to leave the Paris shows and focus solely on personal appointments with clients.

Clients who place orders must understand that it may take up to four months to construct a dress. Take one in particular, a 1920s-inspired gown made of dove grey chiffon. Decorated with delicate metal decals and a beaded fringe, it carries more than 50,000 Swarovski crystal beads, and took more than 150 man hours to assemble. It's priced accordingly, at around $90,000.

Many customers choose to visit Versace's Milan flagship, Via Gesu, to peek into the archives, where they can pull dresses from all the way back to the 1970s for inspiration or even replication. Although new dresses are introduced twice a year, the designs are simply additions to the Atelier catalog, says Roberto Lorenzi, president of U.S. retail for Versace.