Of all the European fashion houses, Versace possesses the most storied and scandalous past. Sibling strife, cold-blooded murder, betrayal and substance abuse have all plagued the infamous house and have compounded throughout the decades to create a history that reads a lot like a Grecian tragedy, which is fitting considering that the Versace logo is the head of Medusa.

The founder of the house of Versace, Gianni Versace, was fascinated with Roman and Greek antiquity and lore. It was this fascination that led him to select the Gorgon Medusa as his logo. He wanted to send the message that his clothing was so stunning that looking at it would stop people in their tracks — or turn them to stone, as is in the original Greek myth.

Gianni Versace met a tragic end. On July 15, 1997, he was shot on the steps of his Florida home by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Versace’s life, death and his empire are all chronicled in Deborah Ball’s novel, “House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival.”

Lifetime Movie Network made an adaptation of this novel, calling it “House of Versace,” which premiered Saturday evening.

I know that some people are repelled by anything Lifetime related, decrying the network’s movies as chick-flicks and senseless, melodramatic drivel. In some instances, I would have to agree, but this particular movie was both informative and entertaining.

My one complaint would be that some of the actors — especially Gina Gershon, who portrays Gianni Versace’s sister Donatella — adapted a broken Italian-English accent that is too exaggerated and nearly impossible to understand without subtitles.

Pronunciation issues aside, the film deftly displays Gianni Versace’s vision and artistry for fashion design. With montages of Versace fashion shows and old clips of Princess Diana wearing the famous blue evening gown Versace designed especially for her, the movie gives those of us who were too young to be cognizant of couture in the early ‘90s a glimpse into fashion history.

Interestingly enough, in a statement to Women’s Wear Daily, a Versace representative said that the film — and by default Bell’s novel — “should only be seen as a work of fiction,” given that the company never authorized production nor were they involved in either project.

While it remains to be seen if the events portrayed in the movie are 100 percent factual and if Versace will pursue a course of legal action against Lifetime and Bell for defamation, an indisputable fact is that Versace still remains a powerhouse in the fashion world today, creating looks that women of all ages can replicate.

The key to replicating the Versace look is tailoring. The brand is known for its curve-hugging creations, blouses, pants and dresses that fit like a second skin. That is not to say that these pieces should be tight; you still need to be able to breathe. Versace is also big on monochromatic pairings, so even though the high fashion designer is way out of the average college student’s budget, don an all black ensemble and accessorize with gold necklaces and bracelets to polish off a Versace-inspired look.

But even beyond the fashion world, perhaps the most valuable style tip from the house of Versace and its tumultuous history is not actually about clothes, but instead about the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of tragedy — two traits that never go out of style.

Jenna Belmonte is a magazine, newspaper and online journalism graduate student. Her fashion column appears every Monday in Pulp. She can be reached at jmbelmon@syr.edu.

Published on October 6, 2013 at 10:05 pm