What is Versace Jeans Couture?
Versace Jeans Couture is a diffusion line of the famous Luxury Italian fashion house. Some say it is a licensed brand, but it is not. VJC is a brand that focuses on more casual, younger and maybe less affluent clientele.
As a reminder, Versace was founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace.Did you know that his full name was Giovanni Maria Versace? I said “was” as he passed in 1997 killed by a man who was a spree killer.
Gianni started as an apprentice for his mother’s sewing shop. He felt in love with Greek ancient history and later moved to Milan where the fashion industry was heating.
Gianni worked for Byblos the famous and very successful brand specialized at the time in “Prêt-à -porter” (ready to wear). He worked there from 1973 until 1978 when he showed off his signature collection and later opened his first “boutique” on Via della Spiga in Milan.
Gianni became rapidly a sensation with his out of the box designs – colorful, sexy, and bold. He said “I don’t believe in good taste, and defied the rules of fashion.
His main fashion rival was Giorgio Armani. Many said that “Armani dresses the wife, Versace dresses the mistress.”
Here we are with a very artistic, bold and avant-garde designer competing with other big names in the industry like Armani who maybe has a better business acumen and is targeting “new” markets like the USA and partnership with “old” brands such as the French L’Oréal.
In the 80s, many designers populated diffusion lines to distribute their design to a wider audience who might fall in love with the fashion house then decide to purchase the root brand products.
The first Versace developed was Versus 1989, it was originally a gift to his sister Donatella. That line presented bags, denim, fragrance, dress and also men products.
Other diffusion lines were developed: Versace Jeans, Versace Couture, Home Collection, even a line specialized for children.
In 2018, the Versace group was acquired by… Michael Kors and incorporated into the Capri Group. The group reshaped Versace lines by merging Versus, Couture and Jeans into Versace Jeans Couture. I recommend following the line #versacejeanscouture on social media.
Is Versace Jeans Couture, real Versace?
Yes, it is, and it comes with differences.
Look at these T-Shirts, the Barocco Patchwork T-Shirt for $1,195 by Versace – Beautiful, very colorful and almost $1,200. Now look at the Metallic Logo T-Shirt, simpler, way more wearable and only $125.
I can see myself wearing the second one daily, but the first one would be for special occasions. What about you?
Both T-Shirts are 100% Cotton, the Versace is organic cotton but does it justify the price difference? In my case for the same $1,200 budget, I would buy several Versace Jeans Couture T-Shirts 🙂
A few products went off from the VJC catalogs. I’m talking about glasses, perfumes, jewelry and other small accessories, but the price of those decreased quite a bit.
You still have the famous Signature Medusa Crystal Sunglasses at $1,600 a pair but now you can get your Versace Enamel Medusa at $250 (about the price as the Versace Jeans a few years ago).
To resume, Versace lines changed a bit since the acquisition but the concept is there and any line you pick will be 100% a Versace product design but one of the most famous fashion houses.
When in Miami, don’t forget to try to visit the Villa Casa Casuarina, the Versace boutique hotel on at 1116 Ocean Drive on South Beach, the mansion was built in 1930 by architect Alden Freeman. I say try as it’s quite pricey, the “cheapest” room is around $1,200 a night and it is almost impossible to find available dates.
You have to try the Gianni’s restaurant, absolutely make a reservation to submerge yourself in an exquisite Versace luxury experience. It comes with a price tag – we paid about $100 per person with no expensive wines or champagne, but it was a perfectly luxurious date.
