IPO's have been a major topic of conversation recently. Michael Kors and Prada successfully went public a little while back and of course, the controversy surrounding Facebook's entry onto the stock market has meant that it's a topic that's not going away any time soon. Now it looks like Versace might follow suit.

It's no secret that the family-owned business flirted with the idea of going public back in 1997 but after the death of Gianni Versace and a string of financial problems, any such discussions fell apart. But things are really turning around for the house. This year marked the first time it has been profitable since 2009, which it marked with a return to couture in January after an eight-year hiatus. If there was ever a time to appeal to potential investors, then, it's now.

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Gucci isn't the only brand in Milan taking a walk on the dark side. For fall Donatella Versace continued the Gothic aesthetic that brother Gianni Versace had begun to explore before his tragic murder in 1997. Crucifixes came on everything from black velvet coats to oversized clutch bags and just in case the reference wasn't strong enough, all of the models' hair came with what Guido Palau called the 'fugly fringe'.

Alongside the gothic theme was a feeling of strength and the clothes serving as an armour. This was particularly true on a studded leather corsetted strapless dress and coat in a similar style, as well as a killer biker jacket which wouldn't have looked out of place on Rooney Mara in 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'. Even the orange and yellow pieces that came towards the end of the collection had a similar strength.

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Lady Gaga has given us some of the best music videos over the last few years but her 'Edge of Glory' video was disappointing. In case you haven't seen it yet, the singer appears in a black patent Versace harness outfit throughout rather than showing an array of statement looks like you would expect from Gaga.

Cathy Horyn was also disappointed by the limited outfit choice:

She looked embalmed in the black Versace harness (apparently from Gianni Versace’s final collection), and I don’t know why Donatella Versace said she was honored by Gaga’s selection, unless, of course, she thought she had to say something nice about the superstar. But a D.O.A. video doesn’t help the House of Versace. Be choosier, Ms. Versace.

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Image via The Cut

Gianni Versace was shot 13 years ago by serial killer Andrew Cunanan in front of his Miami home, but more than a decade after his murder, rumours are still swirling about the traumatic incident. According to a new book written by Giuseppe Di Bella, a former member of the N'drangheta, the Calabrian Mafia, Versace was being used in a money-laundering scheme. Di Bella told a reporter: "There were rivers of money from drugs, extortion, protection rackets, loan sharking, mountains of money and it had to be made clean." Di Bella said that restaurants, bars, property and luxury goods were part of the laundering plan, the mafia also used "clean businesses like that of Versace."

The Versace family has called the accusations "false and shameful," but anti-Mafia authorities in Rome have opened an investigation about the allegations. According to investigator Giancarlo Capaldo: "[Di Bella] is an informer, and his information in the past has always proved correct."

Image courtesy of Fashionologie

The air of mystery surrounding the house of Versace is something that has loomed long past the unfortunate and untimely death of its founder, Gianni Versace - with a devastating murder, long battle against drug addiction, over-indulgent spending habits and eating disorders, you'd be forgiven for thinking the tale of Versace was a fictional one. Deborah Ball's 'House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival' - released on Tuesday - sees the first book published for which the Versace's gave help, along with interviews from Antonio D'Amico, Anna Wintour, Joe McKenna and Francois Nars, Donatella and Santo both gave their accounts, accumulating in a chronicle of the ups and downs in one of Italy's most famed families.

Alongside touching upon some of the more obvious queries surrounding the family - including why Gianni left his 50% stake of the company to Allegra - the book also reveals more intimate details, as we get to see how Gianna coached Claudia Schiffer on the runway, where and how he came up with the infamous Versace symbol, the possibility that Karl Lagerfeld might have taken the reign pre-Donatella, and how the icily thought of Anna Wintour choked up at the funeral of Gianni.

Excitement is mounting amongst the fashion pack over the release of a 'tell all' type book, due to be released next year. Not since the release of The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris, by fashion journalist, Alicia Drake, has the industry been so excited to get their hands on a such a gripping read. Well that was until now. News reaches us that Deborah Ball, staff reporter at the Wall Street Journal, has penned a book on Versace, entitled House of Versace: The Untold Story Of Genius, Murder and Survival', which, as the title suggests, primarily focuses on Gianni Versace and the rise of a designer who 'redefined fashion', before turning its attention to how the label struggled to maintain its legacy following his tragic death.

Not only is the (unauthorized) book, which is due to hit the shelves in February 2010, the first ever book in English written about the Versace clan, but it is also said to include interviews with fashion royalty such as Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour, and other friends and lovers of the great Gianni Versace. We're tempted to put ourselves on some sort of waiting list now......

It's been no secret that the Versace family have been in turmoil since the tragic death of Gianni, and quite rightly so. However when the family behind the brand begin to drain company funds, it stands to be questionable as to how long the reign of the family, or the future of the company, will last. In a detailed review of the Versace brand in Newsweek, Dana Thomas examines how Donatella and Santo's outrageously lavish lifestyles are affecting the Versace company, and what this could mean for them in the future.

Since the death of founder Gianni, the company has gone from taking over $1 billion in sales, to making less than half of that today. After her brother died, Donatella found herself battling a drug addiction, and even after agreeing with brother Santo that the pair weren't ready to manage the company alone, hiring outside help appeared to make no difference - which according to sources was down to the duo's lack of willingness to change. This June, it was said that Versace's CEO of five years, Giancarlo di Risio, left abruptly over disputes with the family surrounding their flamboyant lifestyle, and the cut backs he wanted to implement.

So what does all of this mean for the future of the brand and the Versace family? We all know and love Donatella as the face of one of the ultimately glamorous, luxurious lifestyle brands, however Thomas writes,

'Many in the fashion industry believe it's time for the brand to continue without Versace family involvement—and some suggest that the family is starting to accept this idea too. Last year, Santo was elected to the Italian Parliament. Allegra has been attending Brown University and has said her dream is to become an actress. And will Donatella remain at the helm? "Maybe," says the former Versace executive. "Then again, maybe not." Which, after a decade of turmoil, may be the best thing for the company after all.'

The Tragic Decline of the House of Versace

The ornateness of the Baroque era plus the sharp edges of the geometry craze plus lots and lots of thigh: these are a few of Donatella Versace's favourite things. At first glimpse, it would seem that the Spring '10 Versace show focused on showing skin any possible way, but it's not quite so simple. Now that Balmain has everyone rolling out their best version of the minidress, Donatella decided to show everyone what she's made of.

For her, that would involve studs, glitter, and prints that run the gamut from Eley Kishimoto to Ashish, to pull in London references. Did we get some Anglomania in the mod-ish, black-and-white skinny-skinny trousers? Yep. A bit of the wild side with crazy-print sheer skirts? Sure. And just for good measure, Versace tossed in tough Grecian details, which made it pretty clear that her evening gowns could kick other designers' evening gowns' asses.

This is a throwback to the '90s, when Gianni was the name on everyone's lips. This is Versace, people, and this is how it's done.

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