Glorification of every curve of a woman’s body through clothing—if there’s one house that owns that idea, it’s Versace. Under Donatella Versace’s reign, the label has recently taken a feminist slant, angling away from the notion of woman as rock-star arm candy and nightclub predator. Versace’s Fall ready-to-wear was a refreshing tour de force in glam urban militaria, but how to follow that in couture? The Rio Olympics are coming up in August, so maybe that’s what sent Donatella in the direction of female power through athleticism—the body used to achieve personal goals that aren’t to do with man-catching sexuality. Well, that’s what the soundtrack pointed us toward, anyway: a narrative by Violet, speaking out about “feminine strength to overcome obstacles.”
Nonetheless, this Versace Altelier collection was a full-on old-school display of cutaway, plunge, curve, slash, and skin display. After an opener of optic white tailoring and taut ski pants, it was on with the real business: feats of dressmaking engineering involving asymmetrical patchworked geometries, suspension by Swarovski ropes and twisted straps, embroidered and printed ergonomic patterns, skewed sequined checkerboards and poured silicone grills. In her couture collection, Donatella is determined to add new science to traditional techniques, and she noted that the work in this show was some of the most time-consuming she’s ever devised. Still, labor and complexity don’t always sell a dress. After all the body-con gowns and fitted minidresses, it was the moment when she broke free of the sporty theme with a few light, sheer dance-dress silhouettes with full, airy skirts that looked best.