Santo Versace enters the Milan cathedral in silence. It is July 22, 1997, the day of his brother’s funeral, the fashion guru Gianni Versace. The mass is at 6:00 p.m. “Donatella clings to my arm; the veil covers her gaze. I try to be strong. I encourage her to stay strong. Many people surround us, but we feel deeply alone.”
These words are from an intimate memoir by Santo Versace: Fratelli. Una Famiglia Italiana, just released in Italy by Rizzoli publishing house. The book is a gentle meditation about the chaotic nature of trauma – the shock of an unexpected, unnatural, heartbreaking loss. It marks the 25th anniversary of Gianni’s violent death.
