London's Victoria and Albert Museum is about to throw open its doors to the largest exhibition ever to be staged for a single fashion designer.

Five years after Gianni Versace died in a shooting outside his Florida home, 150 original examples of his flamboyant designs will go on show in the museum he ranked among the best in the world.

Predictably enough, at the press view, the dress that catapulted Liz Hurley to stardom was once again the main focus of the snappers' attention.

But that was until the designer's equally flamboyant sister, Donatella, made her entrance.

"I'm honoured," she told BBC London, "and Gianni would have been honoured, too, because he loved this museum."

From the outrageous to the understated, it's hard to believe some of the Versace creations on show are nearly a decade old.

But even a cursory glance is enough to reveal why his reputation as 'the catwalk king' has survived his untimely death.

"Gianni Versace warrants this exhibition in particular because of the breadth of his vision," said V & A curator Claire Wilcox, "He changed the way people thought about fashion. He recognised fashion's power and its theatricality."

Versace's client list included princesses and pop stars, such as Elton John, Puff Daddy and Li'l Kim. He is also credited with inventing the first wave of supermodels.

Now Versace's finest is about to go on show for arguably a less discerning audience - we mere mortals.

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