Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace may be known to most for working with her brother Gianni Versace on their glamorous luxury fashion brand, but to a small section of the internet, she is best known for coining the phrase "donatella VERSACE 💜"

The blonde business magnate and socialite was one of the first to blend fashion with pop culture glamour, and she makes no secret of letting her celebrity allegiances known. But her peculiar way of signaling her love for another famous peer has been cracking people up for years now, with one particular example involving model Bella Hadid becoming a viral internet meme.

Here's how the phrase "donatella VERSACE 💜" became a viral comment meme, and why it's making a sudden comeback on TikTok in 2024.

Where Did The Phrase 'donatella VERSACE 💜' Come From?

On February 14th, 2022, model Bella Hadid posted a photo of Valentines Day candy made to read, "Will You Free My Palestine?" The post received a reply from the Italian designer that simple read, "donatella VERSACE 💜"

No one quite knows why Donatella chose to comment her own name on Bella Hadid's post, or even if this is a common practice she embodies on her social media, but no one really chose to question her intentions. Donatella Versace thus became "donatella VERSACE 💜"

How Did The 'donatella VERSACE 💜' Meme Spread?

Many people began to quote Versace's notable comment and link it to her work and persona in the following months, as seen in a September 2022 post by @eccentricverde, which featured a series of images from a Versace fashion show. In April 2023, @mazzypopstar posted a Barbie Poster meme that referenced the comment as well.

The meme eventually spread to TikTok as well, with @ihannah2point0 posting a Shannon Sharpe meme about Versace's comment, even as @davidcorishhh posted a video joking about the event using the Bold Glamour filter.

@ihannah2point0

donatella VERSACE💜

♬ original sound – Hannie

@davidcorishhh if u get this ily💜💜 #fyp #bellahadid #donatellaversace #viral ♬ Originalton – Tyler

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For the full history of donatella VERSACE 💜, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.