From Miami to Tangier, via the French Riviera, Cascais and the Hamptons, the biggest names in fashion have found summer retreats far from the catwalks and spotlights where they can express their creative genius. Mythical villas, family homes, secret workshops, and castles—each of these exceptional places embodies the spirit, audacity, and art of living of their famous owners.
This summer, LUXUS MAGAZINE takes you on a weekly tour of a prestigious residence: a nine-part journey through the iconic vacation spots of the world’s greatest fashion designers. Today, our journey takes us to Miami, to Villa Casuarina, Gianni Versace’s neo-Mediterranean gem, where Italian opulence and tropical palm trees blend together brilliantly.
Villa Casa Casuarina, a temple of Mediterranean baroque designed by Gianni Versace
It is impossible to talk about legendary summer residences without mentioning Gianni Versace’s villa in Miami Beach. Purchased in 1992, Casa Casuarina is a tribute to Italian opulence, inspired by the Alcázar de Colón in Santo Domingo. Versace invested more than $33 million to transform this 1930s building into a Mediterranean palace: mosaics, frescoes, marble, gilding, a 16-meter swimming pool encrusted with 24-karat gold… everything exudes excess and glamour.
An Italian dream on Ocean Drive
When Gianni Versace discovered South Beach in the early 1990s, he fell in love with its Art Deco aesthetic, its sultry atmosphere, and its vibrant light. He bought Casa Casuarina, a neo-Mediterranean house inspired by a Dominican colonial palace.
Casa Casuarina was built in 1930 by architect Alden Freeman, son of Joel Freeman, treasurer of the Standard Oil Company. When Freeman died in 1937, Jacques Amsterdam bought the property for $100,000 and converted it into a 24-unit apartment building called The Amsterdam Palace.
The building subsequently changed hands several times and was renamed Christopher Columbus Apartments due to the architectural features of the house, evoking the era of the famous explorer.
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Featured photo: montage of the Casa Casuarina swimming pool and portrait of Gianni Versace
