Donatella Versace embodies all that the label that bears her name stands for, and her celebrity status makes her a star on par with the many actors and musicians in the brand’s firmament. Resort was modeled around what is quintessentially Donatella—that is a fierce, fearless sense of fashion.
According to the design studio guys, the label’s vast archive in Novara is neatly divided into Gianni’s oeuvre and Donatella’s repertoire. This season, they explored the latter, referencing her distinctive take on the fundamentals her brother established. Her use of color is actually less conventional and more gutsy, favoring an edgy palette of acidic tones mixed with pastels, and her silhouette is more sensuous and fluid, rendered in mermaid-looking bias-cut numbers. The quintessential DV look is that of a slightly disheveled, ultra-glamorous party lover—sort of “the morning after the night before.”
Resort explored the tension Versace always lends her interpretations of the house’s codes. “Hard and soft, masculine and feminine, formal and playful, contrasts that I see the new generation questioning and ripping up completely,” she said via email. She played on the juxtaposition of oversized distressed hoodies or XXL brushed leather biker jackets with flowy floral chiffon dresses featuring 3D embroideries. And she had used square-cut tailored blazers and midriff-baring, low-waisted bell bottoms to frame sporty crushed-velvet tops inspired by Atelier Versace archival looks and vaguely Grace Jones-ish, whose Medusa-buckled belt was crisscrossed at the waist. Adding to the rebellious, grungy/clubby/festival vibe, full-volume cargo pants in distressed denim were inlaid with a laser-cut diamond motif called the Slash, which also appeared across leggings, knitwear, and on the open seams of formal horizontal-shouldered jackets.
“This season feels very impulsive and energetic,” said Versace. Indeed. The collection looked designed with a focused, concise perspective, which didn’t detract from its alluring attitude. “Never underestimate the power of the Versace woman!” she summarized. The thought never crossed our mind.
