Donatella Versace has announced that she is launching a new scholarship in honour of her late brother Gianni, 20 years after his tragic death.
One lucky student on the prestigious MA Fashion Course at Central Saint Martins will be given a comprehensive financial support package by the Italian designer, in order to help them get their foot in the door of the infamously competitive industry.
'Central St Martins educates and trains some of the best talents in the world of fashion,' she said in a statement. 'Many of their alumni have come to work with me over the years. I have always been a great advocate of supporting and listening to young talent and it is with great pleasure that we are funding a yearly scholarship at the College as a tribute to my brother Gianni. He was a visionary designer and in his memory we wanted to nurture the creators of tomorrow.'
Famous alumni of Central Saint Martins include J.W. Anderson and Christopher Kane, who both worked with Donatella on her Versus range. The college is known for producing some of the most talented designers in the world, particularly under the tutelage of former professor Louise Wilson, who died in 2014.
Donatella's brother Gianni Versace was murdered at his home in Miami Beach on 15 July 1997. He was shot by stranger Andrew Cunanan, who had already killed five people before he targeted Gianni. The case is the subject of American Crime Story's next series, with Penelope Cruz starring as Donatella.
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