Versace leaves empty space in closets

Apart from her evening clothes, her towels, bed-spreads and cushions were also by the designer. "I liked his clothes as they made me feel comfortable and made a statement," she says.

A few years ago you could not walk into any swanky do without spotting half a dozen of the designer’s medusa symbols on the outfits of at least one of the city’s khubsurat log. So much so, that those seeking attention even at ladies’ lunches would turn up in Versace jeans. Though with the rise of designers such as Gaultier, Dolce and Gabbana, he is not as popular as he was a couple of years ago, he still has many die-hard fans.

Another Versace lover is Pooja Bedi-Ibrahim. "I got the fright of my life when I heard the news. I was so scared that I would not be able to wear his clothes again," said Pooja, who is expecting her first child. She revealed that when her husband went on a business trip to Italy recently, he bought her two Versace outfits to egg her to lose weight after child-birth.

Another one who enjoyed wearing Versace’s clothes is Avanti Birla. "I used to wear them till a couple of years ago. They were wild and funky," she says. "Now I wear more of Gaultier."

Arjun Khanna, who was an apprentice at Versace’s Bond Street store in London for six months, is equally shaken by the news. "I was stunned and was up all night watching CNN," he said. The logo for Arjun’s designer clothes is based on Versace’s design.

He had occasion to meet Versace very briefly, but has a great opinion of him. "Versace was my guru. He had tremendous influence on all designers, with his cut, colours and fabrics," says he, of one who was well known for his out-landish bright prints.

Another Mumbai-based designer Bhairavi Jaikishan, was inspired by him when she started out eight years ago. "Versace was very vibrant and had a lot of life. He brought in a new colourful look," says she. While Versace fans in the city might content themselves with the newly stocked stuff in the stores, they must bear in mind the prospect of a steep price hike as well.

Although his sister Donatella might carry on the business, it will not be the same again for Versace fans, believes Sheetal says.