One-of-a-kind test pressing of the promotional cassette of previously unreleased material given to attendees of the Versace collection of Paris Fashion Week over the course of three consecutive days, beginning on July 8, 1995. The cassette is labeled “Proof Cassette - Zomax Optical Media,” and is filled out by hand, “Customer: Paisley Park, Title: The Versace Experience.” This is the proof which was personally approved by Prince for production. The case has the insert reading, “The Versace Experience - Prelude 2 Gold.” In fine condition.
From the collection of Prince's assistant Therese Stoulil and accompanied by a letter of provenance. Stoulil notes: "The Versace Fashion show was in two days. I had just received this test pressing of the cassette. Prince was literally just leaving his house for the airport and stopped by Paisley Park to grab the tape. He called from the limo with his approval and the replicator ran the order overnight and the next day we put the finished cassettes on a direct flight to Paris to be picked up by Versace’s representatives."
The promotional copies of 'The Versace Experience: Prelude 2 Gold' given away during the Paris Fashion Week are extremely rare on their own, and are among the most sought-after and valuable cassette tapes ever produced. The tape was mostly used as a promotional tool for Prince's upcoming album The Gold Experience, and featured tracks edited and remixed specifically for this promo—some of which were never released anywhere else. As the test pressing of this desirable cassette, which was personally approved by Prince, this is an absolutely remarkable item and almost certainly the rarest Prince cassette tape to ever appear on the market.
