Renowned Italian designer Donatella Versace has become famous for her remarkably youthful look over the past few years.
At 70, Versace is recognized for her smooth skin and striking lips. While she has openly acknowledged her use of Botox, she has not confirmed undergoing any other cosmetic procedures.
Recently, computer-generated imagery offered a glimpse into what the fashion icon might have looked like without her cosmetic enhancements.
Using artificial intelligence, images of a younger Versace were analyzed to envision her appearance at 70 if she had aged naturally.
The AI-generated outcome was a stark contrast to her current look, depicting a face with more natural lines and wrinkles.
For years, Versace’s evolving appearance has been a topic of intrigue, though she has only ever confessed to Botox treatments publicly.
In 2013, she told Vogue Festival: ‘I’m not like this genetically. I use tones of cream and take care of my hair and skin.’
She said she got the injections when she took over the role of Versace’s Chief Creative Officer, following her brother Gianni’s murder in 1997.
Iconic Italian designer Donatella Versace has become renowned for her very youthful appearance in recent years
Now, new computer-generated images have revealed what the fashion mogul may have looked like had she not had her ‘tweakments.’ Pictured: In 1990 (left) and aged with AI (right)
But the icon stressed her svelte figure was her own, quipping that she has ‘only [had Botox] on my face, not on my body, that’s the result of hard work.’
The designer famously said she does not ‘believe in totally natural women,’ when asked about her use of the neurotoxin.
Back in 2010, in an interview with LOVE magazine, she said: ‘Natural? What is natural? What is that? I do not believe in totally natural for women. For me, natural has something to do with vegetables.’
Last year, Versace announced the shock decision to step down at her eponymous brand, marking the end of an era.
The designer spent 28 years at the helm of the brand, known for designing some of the most flamboyant and iconic designs the brand has ever created.
She also designed the stunning cut-out, flowing gown worn by Jennifer Lopez that created Google Images in 2000, after the singer wore it to the Grammys.
Ex CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, revealed there were so many searches for photos of the dress after the event, it inspired the search engine to found its Images function.
However, Versace’s stint as creative director began in a tragic way, after her brother Gianni, who founded the brand, was assassinated on his doorstep in Miami Beach in 1997, a mere 19 years after founding the brand.
For decades, Versace has sparked speculation about her changing appearance but has only ever publicly admitted to using Botox. Pictured: Versace in 1996 (left) and aged with AI (right)
Artificial intelligence analyzed photos of Versace when she was younger, predicting what she would look like at age 70 if she kept everything natural. Pictured: Versace in 1991 (left) and aged with AI (right)
Last year Versace, 70, gave fans a glimpse of her new youthful appearance as she enjoyed a sunset in a stunning social media snap
Versace (pictured in 2024) previously admitted to having work done, telling Vogue Festival: ‘I’m not like this genetically’
Versace took over from her brother Gianni after he was shot in the head aged 50 while on the doorstep of his mansion in Miami Beach in 1997, after he went out to buy a coffee and a newspaper.
In a statement announcing she was moving into a new role, Versace, who was replaced by Dario Vitale, paid tribute to her late brother, whose legacy she carried during her own time as creative director.
She said: ‘Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. It’s been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was the true genius but I hope to have some of his spirit and tenacity.’
Gianni’s partner, Antonio, who had been in the mansion at the time, ran out after being alerted to the shooting, which occurred at 8.45am, and instructed their neighbor and friend Lazaro Quinana to run after the killer.
Gianni was taken to the hospital where CPR was performed, but he was pronounced dead. Antonio was so distraught he had to be given a sedative.
He had been targeted by serial killer and male prostitute Andrew Cunanan, who had taken four previous victims in a multi-state killing spree.
Versace and her other brother Santo flew to Miami where they saw their late sibling for the first time in the Riverside Gordon Funeral Home. A funeral was held a week later at the Duomo Cathedral in Milan.
Gianni’s assassination marked the beginning of Donatella’s tenure as Versace’s creative director.
In an interview with the Guardian in 2017, the fashion titan spoke of the pressure she was under at the time – with many, including herself, unsure if she could live up to her late brother’s legacy.
‘When my brother was murdered, I had the eyes of the whole world on me and 99 percent of them thought I wasn’t going to make it. And maybe I thought the same, at first. My brother was the king, and my whole world had crashed around me,’ she said.
In addition to her grief, Versace was battling a cocaine addiction which took hold of her life for 18 years.
However in 2005, after a nudge from her friend Elton John, she went to rehab and managed to kick the habit for good.
