L'HISTOIRE: Naomi Campbell’s Dazzling Versace Mini Dress at the 1991 AIDS Benefit

L'HISTOIRE explores fashion history moments you should know, from what actors wore on a red carpet to celebrities who made cameos on the runway. Some are unsung, and some are better known. Each is part of the fabric of today’s fashion world, be it barrier breakers or culture makers.

Naomi Campbell's fashion love affair with Versace is no secret, but flipping through old photos proves one thing: There are so many underrated looks she's worn by the designer brand that still inspire to this day. One of those is her bright pink, jewel-encrusted Versace mini dress that perfectly encapsulated the spirit of 1990s runway glamour. At a time when the term “supermodel” was taking over the lexicon, Campbell embodied it with unmatched poise.

She wore the colorful look to the fifth annual California Fashion Industry Friends of AIDS Project Los Angeles Benefit, a star-studded fundraiser hosted by the late Gianni Versace at the Century Plaza Hotel in the City of Angels. The event brought fashion and philanthropy together in a rare and meaningful way, raising over $500,000 for AIDS awareness and research. The event's runway lineup was legendary, featuring the era’s defining faces: Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and of course, Campbell.

The supermodel stunned on the runway. Her pink mini dress was a showstopper: strapless with an ornate halter-neck detail that doubled as a sculptural, cross-like adornment. Covered in gemstones and woven with intricate gold embroidery, the dress shimmered with a kind of divine decadence. It felt both sacred and sensual, as if lifted from a painting and reimagined through the lens of early ’90s opulence.

The design spoke directly to the signature Versace aesthetic that's bold, baroque, unapologetically maximalist. And on Campbell, it became something more: a symbol of fashion’s power to command attention, celebrate beauty, and serve a higher cause all at once.

To channel Campbell’s 1990s look, start with a bold pink mini dress like this Versace option that echoes the base of the original. Elevate the look with layered statement jewelry like Verdura’s chunky gold necklace, adorned with pearls, diamonds, and multicolored gemstones. Or opt for a dramatic cross pendant to nod to the ethereal, almost devotional detailing of Campbell’s original ensemble.

Three decades later, the image of Naomi Campbell in her pink Versace mini remains etched in fashion history—not just for its beauty, but for what it represented. It was a moment where glamour met purpose, where the spectacle of the runway was used to spotlight something greater.