Donatella Versace, our queen, lord and savior will receive the honor of a lifetime next month at the British Fashion Council's annual awards ceremony for her work as artistic director of Versace — a fashion house that has become one of the most sought-after labels on the planet.
The house was founded by Donatella and her brother Gianni in 1978, during which time she also served as a mentor to upcoming designers and models, and had an immense impact on fashion. Donatella was made artistic director in 1997 after Gianni's death (now the subject of Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Crime Story), and she will have held the role for 20 years come December.
"For 40 years my brother and I have done what we love and that is a legacy I am honored to continue and uphold," Donatella said. "We have celebrated empowerment, joy and, of course, glamour. We have championed a community of people who share our values and together with them have created truly iconic images in the world of fashion."
She continued: "I am truly humbled by how Versace has been embraced across the decades, across the world and across the generations. Thank you to the industry for your support of us, thank you to my team for their loyalty and incredibly hard work, thank you to my family and friends who have supported me more than they can know and thank you to the genius that was my brother Gianni. His incredible spirit is in everything we do and everything we stand for."
BFC council chairman Natalie Massenet claimed Versace was the best, if not only, choice to receive the award.
"She has shown incredible strength and dedication to the industry and has continued her brother's legacy through her remarkable work," said Massenet. "What I admire the most about her is her ability to make women look and feel powerful. I could not imagine a better recipient of this award, especially as this year marks such an important date for Versace."
The ceremony will take place on December 4th at Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Karlie Kloss and Jack Whitehall. Check out the trailer for Penelope Cruz's interpretation of Donatella, below.
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Image via Getty