The Versace woman unleashed in the urban jungle. Masculine tailoring is feminised by a darted, elegantly sculptured waist, while utility jackets are the new daywear essential. Toughened luxury comes from a laminated boucle jacket with fringed edges of silk chiffon, or the raw edges of a pencil skirt with a thigh high split.
Energised animal prints clash and contrast with the attitude of the street, with acid leopard and zebra prints often combined in the same look. Sportswear is everything, like the poloshirts and sweatshirts in animal print jacquard knit, or the zip-up blousons in acid leopard.
Craftsmanship adds rich detail, like a suede zip-up jacket bonded and topstitched with animal prints, or a utility jacket richly embellished with sequins. Fil coupe animal print dresses are tied as if spontaneously at the shoulder and hip, while lace gives the effect of animal print against the skin.
A new pinstripe appears and fades as if it pulses, on a tailored jacket tied at the waist, or a slashed front dress that’s tied at the shoulder and edge. Flowing gowns of animal print silk chiffon are raw edged, and are tied as they go down the body to the floor.
Platform heels with a rubberised sole are fastened with safety buckles, while platform sandals come embellished with sequins and frayed chiffon. Selected bags from the show, including sequin embellished backpacks and tie-handle bags from the Palazzo family, will be available in select Versace flagships and e-commerce next week.
The music of the show starts with the track Transition by Violet and friends, made for Equality Now, to which Versace is making a donation. “This is a collection for the way women live their lives today, mixing tailoring with sportswear and effortless glamour.” Donatella Versace
A powerful silhouette in vivid primary colours of red, yellow and green, along with classic black. Versace tailoring dominates – neat-shouldered pinstripe jackets, long cutaway coats in double-faced cashmere.
The debut of #GREEK, revolutionising the iconic Versace Greek key with playful emojis. It appears on clothing, and a brand new line of accessories.
Geometric shapes run throughout, whether it’s a circle-cut skirt, the triangle of a flared pant, or the circular shapes cut into silk cady dresses.
A print of #GREEK is exploded to different scales in primary colours on dresses, zip-up cropped jackets, and shirts circle-cut in the back.
Outerwear is saturated in colour, like a yellow swing coat and red cape both in double-faced cashmere, or a green parka of bonded suede and leather.
Cut-outs slash through black dresses, some intersected with flashes of colour. Shirts and sweaters are circle cut in the back, while slim-leg pants are cut out at the hem to reveal the boot.
Suede jackets and coats are quilted in the #GREEK pattern, then handstitched in vivid shades, while alpaca zip-up coats pop in strong yellow.
Remixed as if by a DJ are the letters of VERSACE on jersey tops and leather jackets, as well as cocktail dresses embroidered in vivid crystals.
The quilted #GREEK bag comes unstructured in the softest leather, as quilted suede clutches and colour-printed quilted leather with a Greek key chain.
Thigh high leather boots are patent at the front, suede at the back, while suede sandals come with #GREEK metal stack heels and platform soles.
“This is my Versace for today, and forever. #GREEK symbolises everything: the traditions of craftsmanship and the Greek key, the emoji of the future.” Donatella Versace
Absolute luxury – the pieces that a man needs, Versace style.
The introduction of the new Versace suit, with a neat constructed shoulder and a sharp shorter jacket length, in a variety of styles and cloths.
A sporty energy comes from hooded tops, knit leggings and second-skin trousers that zip at the ankle.
Cashmere knitwear is a focus, whether it’s fine-gauge long rib knit tops, or chunky knit sweaters and cardigans that sit below the hips.
Tone-on-tone dressing gives a fine look, especially when it’s a single-button suit worn with matching shirt and tie.
Fur is an essential, with full or cropped hooded coats in mink, plus a bomber of intarsia mink. Fur also trims coat collars and the inside of hoods.
There are plays on silhouettes and proportions, like the fitted blousons worn with matching oversized pants.
Functionality is given Versace edge, such as quilted leather parkas with fur lining, to tailored jackets in quilted black silk.
Graphic black-and-white blanket coats are noble, while double-breasted coats are long and lean, with a dominant power.
Metal details shine throughout, from the gold tabs that fasten tailoring, to the gold buttons that fasten the half-belts of coats.
The classic Versace sneaker is remade entirely in leather, from the laces to the soles, revealing the underlying craft of the collection.
“The collection is Versace stripped or Versace soul. Stripped because I took all the decorations off. You are going to find the pure Versace soul that stands on its own for its shapes, cuts silhouettes, sharpness and sensuality”. DV
The new essentials of Versace: stripped back and bold, sexy and fresh. Lines are clean, colours are strong, details are playful.
Black tailoring is trimmed with oversized white stitching, while black long skirts are cut away at the side.
Colour-block dresses are cut across the body by an exploded Greek key, while wide bands of colour run diagonal across dresses, skirts and tops.
Knitwear is sporty, with symmetrical patterns on a sweater like racing jerseys, or cropped knit racer vests worn under tailoring.
Laser-cut tops and dresses bring lightness; leather has a punched-out pattern, while metal rings puncture dresses and leather jackets.
A new Versace print clashes images of metal rings with the Medusa and abstracted optics. Swarovski crystal mesh dresses are youthful and strong, with straps held by utilitarian buckles.
The Signature and Palazzo bags have been laser-cut, while evening clutches come in Swarovski crystal mesh.
Patent laser-cut boots, sandals and mules are all on a high transparent Perspex heel with the Medusa head cast inside.
The new collection of Versace pens is decorated with the icons of the house, while limited edition Versace watches are in vivid colour croc straps.
“This is about a fresh new Versace, one that is contemporary, clean and strong. It is the way women wear Versace now, and in the future.” DV
“Masculinity is not something given to you but something you gain…” Norman Mailer
Inspiration this season comes from an eclectic mix of the photographs of Amy Arbus, the films of Norman Mailer, Michael Jackson, Nineties rap stars and Maharajas crossed with New Romantics…
Big is Beautiful. The look is pumped. Volumes are exaggerated for effect. This is the maximisation of luxury.
Everything is treated as a single, precious item, elaborated with hand painting, beading and intricate embroideries of tongue-in-cheek slogans and motifs.
Knits are supersized – exaggerated with a focus on shoulders and arms, emphasising a man’s chest and slimming at the waist to create a powerful, strong silhouette. Guernseys are subverted, traditionally hand crafted with a twist.
Decadent fabrics are intrinsic to Versace. For autumn/winter 2013-14 there is shaved mink, fox, breitschwanz, cashmere and baby camel.
Hand-formed metal work and intricate beading create a uniqueness inherent to the collection, an impression emphasised by frilly stretch lace underwear, another mischievous comment on conventional notions of masculinity.
In this vein, muted, serious colours traditional to menswear become focused and twisted. There are complex ‘Fritz Lang’ jacquards in grey and black with a swirling red thread running through the patterns; traditional fabrics folded over each other and collaged into new constructions; playful takes on checks, pinstripes, herringbone and Prince of Wales.
Prints this season follow the same maximal principal: pumped macroscopic cheetah and zebra. A giant curling baroque motif creating an abstract foulard. As ever with Versace, graphic elements are important, and the collection makes much use of impactful black and white. A ‘Versace Men’ collage becomes a twisted foulard. Evening MA-1’s are embroidered and lavished with varying levels of intricacy.
Versace man, energised and sexualized, steps out for autumn/winter 2013-14 in creeper-soled loafers and elaborate motocross boots.
Versace’s collection for H&M is full of the pieces that have made the house of Versace legendary. Dominated by colour, print and cut, the brand’s creative director Donatella Versace has gone back to the archives to bring some Versace classics to a whole new audience. Iconic dresses are the focus of the women’s collection, while menswear is centered on sharp tailoring. Also for the first time an H&M designer collaboration will include homeware pieces, reflecting Versace’s influential home designs. All collections will be available in around 300 stores worldwide, as well as on-line, from 17th November.
Versace’s collection for H&M includes many of the iconic designs. For women, a classic black silk crepe dress has gold Grecian buttons on its patent straps, while the flow of a floor-length goddess gown is balanced by boning in the bodice. For night-time shine, multi-colour sequin dresses are covered in archival Versace prints, short metallic dresses come in either silver or gold, and strong colour shift dresses are embellished with studs in classic Greek motifs.
For H&M, Versace has revisited some of its most famous prints, which for women are used on pieces such as dresses, short pleat skirts, velvet bomber jackets, leggings and jeans. Meanwhile the importance of leather for Versace is reflected in leather jackets that come decorated with gold studs and zips. Accessories include a high-heeled laced boot and a studded suede high-heeled sandal, along with studded leather bags as well as velvet bags covered with the Miami palm print.
Versace’s men’s collection for H&M is a mix of slick tailoring and pieces of extravagant pattern. Suit jackets and trousers come in either black or pink, while a black tuxedo jacket has metallic tip trims on its pockets, and shirts have metallic wing-tips on the collars. Versace’s palm and optical prints are used on T-shirts, as well as on thin-knit cashmere sweaters, while print is also used on velvet bombers, jeans, and even underpants.
There’s leather in the men’s collection too, with a quilted leather jacket trimmed with gold studs in the Versace classical Greek pattern, which is repeated down the sides of black cotton shorts and a rolled-sleeve T-shirt. Accessories include embellished beanies and patterned caps, embellished or print scarfs, as well as hi-top sneakers and the perfect dress shoes.
Versace’s home pieces for H&M take full advantage of the house’s iconography, with pillows and a bedspread resplendent in the multicolour floral Japanese fan print, bringing the complete Versace lifestyle to H&M.
Vintage Versace printed silk shirts are hotter than ever. The colorful and bold Versace staple is being discovered and sought out by a new generation of pops stars and style hipsters. The trend was also evoked in many runway collections these past few seasons. In celebration of this renewed appreciation, Versace has re-issued a limited number of classic printed silk shirts. No one can do Versace better than Versace.
