In case it wasn’t clear, Versace is launching a new monogram. Named La Greca, it’s a take on the brand’s heritage Greek Key pattern turned trompe l’oeil in the genre of Balmain’s Labyrinth, Goyard’s Chevrons, or Moynat’s infinite Ms. In the film Versace released today, La Greca had been blown up into a massive wooden structure that framed a runway-style show. Here, models effectively walked through monograms wearing monogram clothes, carrying monogram bags, and accessorizing with monogram jewelry.
Under the sea of monograms, the garments themselves were—in contrast—a viable proposal for a post-lockdown wardrobe: easy, smart, and real. Sci-fi fabric treatments and styling stuff like harnesses fused with 1970s silhouettes in a slightly retro-futuristic expression were backed up by sculptural streetwear shapes and little bionic dresses. It was unmistakably young, if the wardrobes of the starlets of the social media age are to be believed: skimpy hemlines with top-heavy jackets, tone-on-tone dressing, and some very bright color moments. Also, lots of Hadid.
Monograms, of course, are part of that youthful wardrobe. A step in Versace’s post-pandemic business strategy, La Greca could be a big deal for the brand, which—despite its many other logos—has lacked a monogram to compete with the canvas bags of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, et al. It enters into the ongoing transformation of Versace from family-driven business into super brand, staged by Capri Holdings, which bought the company in 2018. A year before that, Donatella Versace had re-embraced the power prints of her brand’s early-’90s heyday to great success.
Keeping things pattern-oriented, the new monogram extends that arm, but it remains to be seen if those who identify with Versace will welcome it like they did those authentic reissued prints—and invest in single Vs rather than LVs. As the show’s casting suggested—a mix of top models diverse in every way, branded head to toe in the Versace emblem—the house is targeting the new youth with their values of empowerment, emancipation, and, indeed, authenticity. When it comes to getting young people to wear your monograms, a tribal symbol of belonging, the latter is key. Under Donatella’s reign, Versace’s authenticity has manifested in her personal story. The family values of Versace are well-documented beyond the borders of fashion, in TV series and film. It’s the brand’s unique selling point, part of the reason Donatella’s once-reluctant decision to revisit those ’90s prints paid off, with both the company and retailers continuing to report growth.
Now, Versace’s challenge is to translate that family soul into an ever-growing super brand, without looking too corporate. For new generations, authenticity is antonymous with marketing. More than ever, that means Donatella—who wasn’t made available for comment this season—is the heart and soul of Versace, the human connection that enables the emotional aspect so key to luxury. Where the corporate signifies coldness, luxury is activated by intimacy, and a sense of personal connection.
