The fashion industry hasn’t witnessed such a polarizing collection – especially a debut – in quite some time. After Dario Vitale’s late-evening show for Versace yesterday, my DMs were ablaze until morning with radically different opinions. Some people loved it, calling it a startlingly fresh moment for Milan. Others, however, had no mercy for Vitale’s effort. Personally, I would love to hear Donatella Versace’s thoughts. Her complete absence from the show was… loud.
What is Versace without a Versace at the helm? Dario Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu, has a tough nut to crack. One thing is certain: his debut collection was confident. Gone are the days of Donatella’s flawless blondes in sky-high stilettos. In their place comes a sexuality aimed at younger clients – brisker, messier, slouchier, a bit more kinker. At moments, I felt I was watching a very dolled-up Magliano show – which would be head-turning if it were, in fact, Magliano. But is Versace truly ready to dive headlong into such vintage-heavy territory, straight into the 1980s without a filter? Donatella herself tried many times to revive Versus Versace with near 1:1 references to the brand’s past, and those “new” takes on the diffusion line never succeeded. Many of Vitale’s looks could easily have been sourced from a vintage boutique in Rome or Florence, allowing one to cosplay Gianni’s early career days head to toe. On one hand, the collection was about sensuality (“Honcho”-style in case of menswear, which was executed far better than womenswear, with a homo-erotic gaze) and youth; on the other, it smelled faintly of a mothballed closet. Yet the truth is: today’s “contemporary” audience is deeply nostalgic. Maybe this is what they want – rather than Phoebe Philo or Prada, two female-led brands that actually look forward.
It will be fascinating to see where Vitale takes Versace in the coming seasons – those choices will be decisive. For now, what I see is a cry for the past, one that also eclipses Alessandro Michele’s Valentino. The difference? With Michele, you know it’s his style through and through – not a costume.
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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At Versace things got hot. Punk hot. For autumn-winter 2024, Donatella Versace was thinking about all kinds of rebels. Siouxsie Sioux, who was on the soundtrack, was a stand-in muse, but for Donatella, the spirit of punk is as well expressed by defiant individuals: Prince, whose Versace-made jackets, fitted through the waist with wide shoulders and designed to make him look taller than his 5’2” frame, were a template for this season’s tailoring, and of course, her brother, Gianni, whose charismatic style codes like the Barocco print and chainmail echoed throughout the entire collection. While the models’ spiked hair and heavy eyeliner said “punk” straightforwardly, this was as polished as you expect from Versace, even more so because Donatella said she used Atelier Versace fabrics, first shredding them and then weaving them into tweeds dotted with crystals, which she cut into miniskirt suits or jackets that she paired with stirrup leggings and ballet flats for both genders. The virginal white swallow tail collars that decorated little black dresses and long ones were lifted from a 1993 Atelier Versace show staged at The Ritz in Paris. But the show’s most striking number – an hourglass column with a sheer bodice and sleeves and a neckline encrusted with crystals that only partially obscured the shoulder pads – mixed demurral and provocation. Donatella was certainly inspired this season, and it shows.
In the mood for Versace hotness?
Embellished Satin Slingback Pumps
La Medusa Embellished Patent-leather Shoulder Bag
Embellished Ruched Crepe Midi Skirt
Embellished Leather Platform Loafers
Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Design & Culture by Ed 