Gianni Versace was an international fashion visionary and interpreter of a bold aesthetic that combines glamour, sensuality, and baroque opulence. From June 5 until September 6, 2026, the Musée Maillol in Paris will host the first major French retrospective dedicated to the designer since 1986.

Placed under the sign of this quotation from Versace, “You’ll find me in my work”, the Gianni Versace retrospective brings together nearly 450 exceptional pieces: original creations and silhouettes, accessories, sketches, decorative objects, photographs, videos, and rare interviews that offer a comprehensive overview of his work. The exhibition design, on the other hand, adopts a scenographic and pop grammar that transforms the space into an immersive sequence, where fashion interacts with the visual arts and contemporary culture.

Curated by Saskia Lubnow and Karl von der Ahé, with a scenography by Nathalie Crinière, the exhibition retraces a career entirely dedicated to creation, revealing the sources of inspiration that shaped Versace's universe: from his early days in the family atelier in Calabria to the iconography of the Catholic religion, his fascination with the Baroque and to the influences of Pop Art, through the presentation of more than 120 silhouettes and mannequins. After nearly forty years, the Gianni Versace retrospective is the largest French exhibition dedicated to him, and it comes at a symbolic moment, presented on the eve of the thirtieth anniversary of the designer's death and what would have been his eightieth birthday.

The creations enter into a dialogue with the worlds of Botticelli, Canova, and Picasso, but also with the graphic energy of Pop Art, embodied by Andy Warhol, while contemporary artists such as Julian Schnabel testify to the designer’s deep connection with the visual culture of his time.

Fashion photographs, among them Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier, and Mario Testino, played a central role, helping to spread the image of Versace's aesthetic throughout the world. Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier, and Mario Testino.

The exhibition also highlights the connection between Versace and prominent figures in popular culture. From musical icons such as Madonna, Elton John, George Michael, Grace Jones, and Prince, to global figures in cinema and the international stage, such as Princess Diana and Elizabeth Hurley,

Through runway videos, photoshoots, and magazine archives, the presentation also evokes the decisive role of top models, including Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Karen Mulder, and Linda Evangelista. Runway videos, photoshoots, and magazine archives revive the energy of that period.

For the Calabrian designer, Paris represented the world's catwalk, even though, in the late 1970s, it helped shift fashion's center of gravity toward Milan, transforming the city into a major hub for luxury ready-to-wear. Paris, however, remained the historic stage for his fashion shows, which quickly became legendary. It was also here that Gianni Versace appeared for the last time, before his tragic death in Miami in 1997. The catwalk thus emerges as the best symbol for telling his story in Paris. The exhibition design at the Musée Maillol is based precisely on this catwalk concept, which will extend throughout almost all of the exhibition spaces.

Gianni Versace Retrospective
June 5 – September 6, 2026
Musée Maillol
59/61 Rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris

Image: © Dreamrealizer Paula Caballero / Dreamrealizer