Bohemian isn’t an adjective often ascribed to Gianni Versace’s aesthetic, but it could and should be used in conjunction with about half of his Spring 1993 collection. The same month that this show was presented, Madonna appeared on Vogue’s cover in a newsboy cap, striped pullover, and studded suede flares; fashion was in full-blown hippie-revival mode, and this Italian designer wasn’t going to be left behind.
Printed tops exposed bare midriffs, maxi skirts flared, leather vests revealed prettily printed silk backs, and tropical motifs mingled with peasanty ones. The talking point of the collection, though, was its exaggerated, take-no-prisoners bell-bottoms. Many of these were multilayered, and the designer used prints and ruffles to ensure they caught the eye. Versace was in the swing of a ’70s revivalism—read: escapism—that was then à la mode. “Because of all the problems we are having in Italy,” Gianni Versace said at the time, “I feel it is good to go back to a period when we had freedom without caution.”
