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0 / 31 Fotos
Gianni Versace - Versace is one of the world's most revered fashion houses, thanks to its enigmatic founder Giovanni Versace. However, his life was cut short in 1997.
© Reuters
1 / 31 Fotos
Gianni Versace -
Versace was gunned down on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer who later took his own life.
© Reuters
2 / 31 Fotos
Isabel Toledo - The Cuban-American fashionista was famed for her boutique collections, as well as designing a famous piece for Michelle Obama.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Isabel Toledo - Toledo passed away on August 26, 2019, at the age of 59, after a battle with breast cancer.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - The pioneer won British Designer of the Year four times, thanks to his forward-thinking work with Givenchy through the '90s and 2000s.
© Reuters
5 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - McQueen took his own life at his house in Mayfair, London. The designer was reportedly depressed and drug-addicted at the time, suffering two previous overdoses.
© Reuters
6 / 31 Fotos
L'Wren Scott - Scott started off as a model, before ascending the ranks of fashion, styling for stars like Madonna and earning praise for her silhouette designs.
© Reuters
7 / 31 Fotos
L'Wren Scott - After a long bout of depression, Scott took her own life in Manhattan back in 2014. She was in a relationship with Mick Jagger, who said "I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way."
© Reuters
8 / 31 Fotos
Kate Spade - Spade broke boundaries with her iconic handbags, which became a fashion symbol in New York during the '90s. She launched a new fashion brand in 2016.
© Reuters
9 / 31 Fotos
Kate Spade - However, Spade also took her own life, hanging herself in her apartment. The designer was apparently suffering from anxiety and depression for years, according to her husband Andy Spade.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Christian Dior - Dior paved the way for "New Look" fashion, famously featuring curvy silhouettes.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Christian Dior - The French fashion pioneer passed away in 1957, when he suffered a heart attack at the age of 52. Dior's assistant, Yves Saint Laurent, continued his legacy of innovation.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Karl Lagerfeld - The Chanel man had a long career, working as the company’s creative director from 1983 until his death in 2019. He had also been involved with other fashion houses.
© Reuters
13 / 31 Fotos
Karl Lagerfeld - After battles with his health, Lagerfeld was treated at the American Hospital of Paris, before he died from pancreatic cancer. He asked for no formal funeral.
© Reuters
14 / 31 Fotos
Mychael Knight - The German-born American designer rose to fame on 'Project Runway,' making it to the final. He went on to launch his own label, and earned high praise for his fashion lines and collections.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Mychael Knight - Knight was just 39 when he passed away. The cause of death is a complete mystery, though he suffered from both irritable bowel syndrome and extreme weight loss.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Ossie Clark - With clients including Mick and Bianca Jagger, this designer was a dynamic force during the '60s and '70s.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Ossie Clark - Clark became known for prints, dresses, and jumpsuits. Sadly, he was stabbed to death by an ex lover, who was sentenced to just six years for the killing.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Rudolph Moshammer - Extravagant is an understatement when describing Rudolph Moshammer, one of Germany's most revered fashion designers.
© Reuters
19 / 31 Fotos
Rudolph Moshammer - The designer was strangled to death by Herisch Ali Abdullah, who was allegedly hired to perform lewd acts for Moshammer.
© Reuters
20 / 31 Fotos
Halston - Halston became world famous in the '70s, thanks to his clean-cut and minimalist pieces. He was also a socialite, with high-profile friends like Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
Halston - The designer died at the age of 57, after an 18-month battle with Kaposi's sarcoma, an AIDS-connected cancer. His Halston fashion house lives on.
© Domaine public
22 / 31 Fotos
Stephen Sprouse - Stephen Sprouse brought a punk energy to the fashion industry, inspiring influential figures such as Marc Jacobs.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Stephen Sprouse - Sprouse suffered from heart failure, and died at the age of 50. He has since become a cult icon in the world of fashion.
© BrunoPress
24 / 31 Fotos
Gianpaolo Tarabini - He isn't the biggest name on this list, but Castellani was the co-founder of Blufin, an Italian fashion house with a reported 55 shops around the world.
© Reuters
25 / 31 Fotos
Gianpaolo Tarabini -
The designer died while on safari in Zimbabwe, when two elephants trampled him in Zambezi Valley. He is survived by his wife, Anna Molinari, who co-founded the Blufin brand.
© Reuters
26 / 31 Fotos
Perry Ellis -
Known for his self-named brand and sportswear house, Ellis helped mark a huge turning point for the fashion industry.
© Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Perry Ellis -
The elusive designer was one of the first fashion workers to die from AIDS-related complications. Since the disease had a serious social stigma, the company officially claimed that Ellis suffered from a different disease.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Isabella Blow - The British style icon helped foster the careers of Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy.
© BrunoPress
29 / 31 Fotos
Isabella Blow -
Blow struggled with ovarian cancer, as well as bipolar disorder. She took her own life in 2007.
See also: The world's wealthiest fashion designers
© BrunoPress
30 / 31 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Gianni Versace - Versace is one of the world's most revered fashion houses, thanks to its enigmatic founder Giovanni Versace. However, his life was cut short in 1997.
© Reuters
1 / 31 Fotos
Gianni Versace -
Versace was gunned down on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan, a serial killer who later took his own life.
©
Reuters
2 / 31 Fotos
Isabel Toledo - The Cuban-American fashionista was famed for her boutique collections, as well as designing a famous piece for Michelle Obama.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Isabel Toledo - Toledo passed away on August 26, 2019, at the age of 59, after a battle with breast cancer.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - The pioneer won British Designer of the Year four times, thanks to his forward-thinking work with Givenchy through the '90s and 2000s.
© Reuters
5 / 31 Fotos
Alexander McQueen - McQueen took his own life at his house in Mayfair, London. The designer was reportedly depressed and drug-addicted at the time, suffering two previous overdoses.
© Reuters
6 / 31 Fotos
L'Wren Scott - Scott started off as a model, before ascending the ranks of fashion, styling for stars like Madonna and earning praise for her silhouette designs.
© Reuters
7 / 31 Fotos
L'Wren Scott - After a long bout of depression, Scott took her own life in Manhattan back in 2014. She was in a relationship with Mick Jagger, who said "I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way."
© Reuters
8 / 31 Fotos
Kate Spade - Spade broke boundaries with her iconic handbags, which became a fashion symbol in New York during the '90s. She launched a new fashion brand in 2016.
© Reuters
9 / 31 Fotos
Kate Spade - However, Spade also took her own life, hanging herself in her apartment. The designer was apparently suffering from anxiety and depression for years, according to her husband Andy Spade.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Christian Dior - Dior paved the way for "New Look" fashion, famously featuring curvy silhouettes.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Christian Dior - The French fashion pioneer passed away in 1957, when he suffered a heart attack at the age of 52. Dior's assistant, Yves Saint Laurent, continued his legacy of innovation.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
Karl Lagerfeld - The Chanel man had a long career, working as the company’s creative director from 1983 until his death in 2019. He had also been involved with other fashion houses.
© Reuters
13 / 31 Fotos
Karl Lagerfeld - After battles with his health, Lagerfeld was treated at the American Hospital of Paris, before he died from pancreatic cancer. He asked for no formal funeral.
© Reuters
14 / 31 Fotos
Mychael Knight - The German-born American designer rose to fame on 'Project Runway,' making it to the final. He went on to launch his own label, and earned high praise for his fashion lines and collections.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Mychael Knight - Knight was just 39 when he passed away. The cause of death is a complete mystery, though he suffered from both irritable bowel syndrome and extreme weight loss.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Ossie Clark - With clients including Mick and Bianca Jagger, this designer was a dynamic force during the '60s and '70s.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
Ossie Clark - Clark became known for prints, dresses, and jumpsuits. Sadly, he was stabbed to death by an ex lover, who was sentenced to just six years for the killing.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Rudolph Moshammer - Extravagant is an understatement when describing Rudolph Moshammer, one of Germany's most revered fashion designers.
© Reuters
19 / 31 Fotos
Rudolph Moshammer - The designer was strangled to death by Herisch Ali Abdullah, who was allegedly hired to perform lewd acts for Moshammer.
© Reuters
20 / 31 Fotos
Halston - Halston became world famous in the '70s, thanks to his clean-cut and minimalist pieces. He was also a socialite, with high-profile friends like Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
Halston - The designer died at the age of 57, after an 18-month battle with Kaposi's sarcoma, an AIDS-connected cancer. His Halston fashion house lives on.
© Domaine public
22 / 31 Fotos
Stephen Sprouse - Stephen Sprouse brought a punk energy to the fashion industry, inspiring influential figures such as Marc Jacobs.
© Getty Images
23 / 31 Fotos
Stephen Sprouse - Sprouse suffered from heart failure, and died at the age of 50. He has since become a cult icon in the world of fashion.
© BrunoPress
24 / 31 Fotos
Gianpaolo Tarabini - He isn't the biggest name on this list, but Castellani was the co-founder of Blufin, an Italian fashion house with a reported 55 shops around the world.
© Reuters
25 / 31 Fotos
Gianpaolo Tarabini -
The designer died while on safari in Zimbabwe, when two elephants trampled him in Zambezi Valley. He is survived by his wife, Anna Molinari, who co-founded the Blufin brand.
© Reuters
26 / 31 Fotos
Perry Ellis -
Known for his self-named brand and sportswear house, Ellis helped mark a huge turning point for the fashion industry.
©
Getty Images
27 / 31 Fotos
Perry Ellis -
The elusive designer was one of the first fashion workers to die from AIDS-related complications. Since the disease had a serious social stigma, the company officially claimed that Ellis suffered from a different disease.
©
Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Isabella Blow - The British style icon helped foster the careers of Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy.
© BrunoPress
29 / 31 Fotos
Isabella Blow -
Blow struggled with ovarian cancer, as well as bipolar disorder. She took her own life in 2007.
See also: The world's wealthiest fashion designers
© BrunoPress
30 / 31 Fotos
The tragic deaths of famous fashion designers
Two men were found dead in Gianni Versace's old mansion the day before his anniversary
© Getty Images
Fashion is a tough industry. It's a market based on both connections and an ever-changing ideal of beauty. That said, there have been plenty of fashion pioneers who have managed to excel in the industry, despite the difficulty. Sadly, those pioneers seem to often meet a tragic end, with many designers dying in particularly sad and strange ways. Designers have been gunned down, shamed for their illnesses, and died in mysterious circumstances.
Versace is one of the most famous fashion brands in the world, and the death of its designer, Gianni Versace, the most notorious. As the world was prepared to honor Versace on the anniversary of his death on July 15, 1997, news broke that two people had been found dead in his home the day prior. On July 14, the bodies of two men were discovered in the old Versace mansion, which has since been turned into the Villa Casa Casuarina hotel. They were discovered by hotel staff in the afternoon, but police have not yet released information about the nature of their deaths. It's a tragic and unexpected twist in the already heart-breaking story of Gianni Versace.
Click on to learn more about Versace's death, and the other famous fashion designers who met tragic ends.
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