Back in the other millennium, the big fashion rivalry in Milan was Giorgio Armani versus Gianni Versace. And you know what. It’s still like that in 2022. Giorgio Armani, nearly 88, had a strong Emporio Armani collection on the first day of the Milan men’s shows. He is still there and so is the Versace camp with Donatella at the helm. Ok, they now belong to an American group called Capri Holding but it’s an undisputed fact that both are pop stars, part of the cultural canon of our times. Donatella connected with an unusual German heritage of the brand, the gorgeous porcelain they make with Rosenthal. And she has a new men’s design director called Max Doerr who hails from Munich and was trained by Kris Van Assche at Dior. The porcelain reference made for a free spirited romp in colorful looks all accessorized with vases and ashtrays in the now famous Versace prints.
Opening look
The DNA?
Versace is about prints and Donatella and Doerr found some Scala opera costumes the late Gianni designed using faces of the gods of Pompeii for silk shirts and on the back of tailored jackets. Also, the long awaited return to Via Gesù made this a special moment.
Print made with the faces of the gods of Pompeii
What it looked like?
Using printed leather, classic tailoring with rugby stripes, transparent fabrics and loud colors, this was as Versace as it gets. A wild mash-up of tailored sportswear with sexy allure. Using tight swimsuits with sexy cutouts on men worn under high-sitting pants looked fresh.
Fresh look
Classic tailoring
The German twist?
From the invitation, a small Rosenthal ashtray with the name of the guest handwritten on it, to the giant vases carried by the models, this was a new twist on how to incorporate brand diversification, i.e. a home line, into a fashion line up.
Models carrying giant vases
What more is new?
Versace has a new CEO in Emmanuel Gintzburger who hails from McQueen and new design directors for men’s and women’s. Plus, Donatella who loves pumped up soundtracks for her shows switched from Frédéric Sanchez to Michel Gaubert manifesting the desire to forge a new focused path for the storied house. Gaubert’s driving beats lit up the beautiful summery courtyard in via Gesù.
