Antonio d'Amiko, partner of the great fashion designer - The New Times
In the town of Palazzo, located between Venice and Milan, an exhibition of memory of the famous fashion designer Gianni Versace, shot down by serial killer in 1997, is being prepared: 2 thousand celebrities from around the world will come at the opening. In the interiors of the old castle with painted ceilings and walls and many Venetian chandeliers, the diaries of the great couturier, his will, unknown photographs will be presented for the first time. The New Times managed to see the exhibits and talk with a long -term partner Versace Antonio d'Amiko
“I leaned the diary of Gianni, to whom I had not touched for more than 11 years - since his murder. And suddenly this letter fell ... I opened the envelope ... It was a shocking moment. Gianni told me that he had met his lawyer to make a will. In this letter, he reported where his true testament is and how much he loves me. "
Antonio d'Amiko, a life partner and lover Gianni Versace over the past fifteen years of his life, holds an envelope and a letter written by hand and certified by a notary: “I still remember how Janni returned from his attorney, gave me this envelope, kissed me and said:“ Do not open it right now, take it away yet. ”
Antonio d'Amiko was the person who was the first to hear the shots that sounded on their steps with Versace House in Miami and who died in his arms. ¹
Today he, along with the Galerists, Gabril Marsoly and her husband Marco prepares the exhibition: "Antonio d'Amiko is my life with Janny." The exhibition will be open to the Palazzo on May 16, 2 thousand guests will be invited, photos of d'Amiko with Versace and their close friends will be shown on it: Elton John, Liz Herli, Sting and his wife Trudy, with Carla Bruni and others. Until today, no one has seen these photos.
Also at the exhibition will be shown the personal diary of Gianni, which no one has ever seen. D'Amiko: “Gianni always went with a diary and did sketches of his future works. I opened his diary from 1997 and - as if I was again worried about our life with Gianny. It used to hurt too much. "
Daphny Barak: Do you remember when you first met Gianni Versace?
Antonio d'Amiko: It was in 1982. I was then a model. I met him at a party after presenting to La Scala. I was amazed at him. At first we were just friends. Then he began to call me: "Let's have lunch together." Then I fell in love with him. Although for three years I met a girl. But when I fell in love with Janny, I already knew that the girls were over. I think that we became the first famous Italian pair of gays that began to go out together.
You showed a lot of your personal pictures where you and Janny are traveling in very exotic places, for example in Algeria, Sudan ...
This was the whole charm of life with Gianni. He loved a simple life very much. On the one hand, he madly liked the luxurious life in Saint-Tropez or on Lake Como, where he had a house. On the other hand, he could say: “Let's go to the Sudanese desert or Algeria ...” I put a tent there, prepared. We loved simplicity.
Everything around was so pacified. And Gianni drew his ideas for shows from what surrounded him. Look at these colors in photographs from Morocco. Gianni was able to buy new fabrics there, he was delighted with juicy colors in the markets. They influenced his work. Imagine only! Gianni Versace, who personified his luxurious life, loved to travel through deserts, where he could only wash himself with cream.
But still, he loved his luxurious house on Lake Como most of all. How did Versace Day go?
We got up early. Gianni made sketches. Necessary calls. We went to fabrics factories throughout the district. If we had guests, for example, Elton John or Sting, then we just walked or took a boat (shows photos) and rode half a day. Then we dined. Then Gianni slept for two hours. Then we had dinner with friends. Gianni always went to bed early, somewhere at 9-10 o’clock in the evening.
But you have guests who love to have fun, for example, Elton John.
There was one rule: everyone can enjoy life and do everything he wants.
Did Gianni go in for sports?
No ... he was engaged in mental work. He was a genius. Only before the very end, Gianni began to force himself to go to Sports Al. But he always studied a little bit. He didn't really like it.
Where did Versace still, except for his travels, drew inspiration for his collections?
Venice! We went there to relax and buy crafts and glass accessories for our houses scattered around the world. I have several photos that we shot during our trip with Ornella Vanoni. I here is in yellow. She is very famous in Italy. We had a great time together.
Tell me about other photos .... Here are portraits of Janny and yours in the crowns. Where is it from?
Our friend Jan Domenico Soczi decided to create different crowns for different people. It was a last nightmare! Karl Bruni. Us in one of the photos, she sits on the floor during the show and smokes .... Yes, she smoked constantly.
Was she a favorite model of Janny?
Janny liked her. Sometimes, after the show, she went to dinner with us. She was not a top model, for example, Naomi (Campbell) ... She was a middle-level model. But Janni liked her as a person.
What is your beloved photo?
It's hard to say. I like the one where he is in black. He is so thoughtful there - it was shot on the balcony of the house in Komo. And here is another photo in the profile, this photograph was taken by Angelo Jose Folg. What strong features, how tense it is! This photo was taken shortly before his death.
Let's get back to the last letter that Gianni wrote to you ... he is bequeathed Ie caused a storm in the press, because he left most of his condition to his niece Allegra, although everyone expected that he would leave all this to her mother Donatella.
I do not know ... But this letter made a very strong impression on me. As if Janny speaks with us from the grave.
Daphne Barak is an international television journalist who interviews exclusive contracts with a number of US and Great Britain television channels, including CBS and Sky News and other countries.
1 Gianni Versace was shot dead on July 15, 1997 at his villa in Miami Beach (Florida, USA). His killer was Andrew Kunenen, who had killed four more people before three months. The killer committed suicide.
2 famous Italian singer.
3 Now - the wife of the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy.
Ie caused a storm in the press, because he left most of his condition to his niece Allegra, although everyone expected that he would leave all this to her mother Donatella.