Donatella Versace - Designer, Creative Director of Versace

[Acid]

as much as i'd like to believe that this will change Versace for good, i highly doubt it will...

i remember being at the mens show and reading the press bried before it started..it said something like 'the versace man has traded his life of rock and roll for that of elegance and a midas touch'.....
the show starts and not only is the music rock and roll but there was a lot of leather and fur and buckles

Donatella needs to make sure she can coordinate her ideas with her actions, but i fear : once a drag queen always a drag queen

 

[tott]

Donatella needs to make sure she can coordinate her ideas with her actions, but i fear : once a drag queen always a drag queen

 

[Spike413]

I must say, she definitly deserves credit for cleaning up her act. Fighting an addiction is no small accomplishment. Also, her last women's collection really was a change, and a much needed one imo, and I hope she continues in that direction come spring.

 

[AlbI_MH]

donatella's always # 1!

 

[Mr-Dale]

We've heard that the next Versace collection will change it all for the past two or three seasons now, so I just don't buy it anymore. I'd be very surprised if this collection will make me think otherwise...

 

[Spacemiu]

well she has to do something to save the company.

 

[PrincessImp.]

^
Honestly I'll really like to see how/if she can accomplish that. Versace still seems to be stuck in a certain design rut and I don't mean that is a bad way. Just that they are still producing "Versace" stuff, but you can't do that forever, the consumer does want some change, if not they will get bored and go away.

 

[rach2jlc]

^
Honestly I'll really like to see how/if she can accomplish that. Versace still seems to be stuck in a certain design rut and I don't mean that is a bad way. Just that they are still producing "Versace" stuff, but you can't do that forever, the consumer does want some change, if not they will get bored and go away.

I think that is exactly right. Perhaps the problem at Versace is less that Donatella is designing poor collections that people don't want to buy than simply that people's tastes (and style in general) have changed and moved away from the Versace aesthetic. Were Gianni still alive, he probably would have been able to manipulate, alter, and progress the aesthetic to keep it relevant. But, with Donatella and the rest of the family at the helm, I think that the focus has been trying to maintain Gianni's style and ideas... to "keep up" with him, instead of seeing towards WHERE the company and the aesthetic should be moving.

In any case, I'd love to see her bring it all back. Though Versace doesn't really fit in with my style, I nevertheless think that it is an important aesthetic choice to have designing at any given moment... if it can be done right.

John

 

[Diorling]

I think that is exactly right. Perhaps the problem at Versace is less that Donatella is designing poor collections that people don't want to buy than simply that people's tastes (and style in general) have changed and moved away from the Versace aesthetic. Were Gianni still alive, he probably would have been able to manipulate, alter, and progress the aesthetic to keep it relevant. But, with Donatella and the rest of the family at the helm, I think that the focus has been trying to maintain Gianni's style and ideas... to "keep up" with him, instead of seeing towards WHERE the company and the aesthetic should be moving.

Yes, exactly. In essence what Donatella is doing isn't ugly and it is very consumable, but no one wants to look like a Barbie's sl*tty sister anymore, evidenced in the Boho and Ladylike trends and now that fashion is moving towards Neo-Minimalism it's getting crunch time for Donatella. I was so shocked when Donatella actually got a clue and pared down her F/W 05 collection, I hope she keeps it going and she'll hopefully hit the sweet spot for S/S 05.

Versace needs badly is....accessories, because quite frankly, they have some of the worst. The shoes are alright but are murdered by thier color or are overdone, I wont even get on the boston bag Donatella has been pushing since F/W 04. Just nothing special, there is nothing at Versace that Id prefer over a similarly priced pair of Louboutins or Gucci bag.

I hope Donatella will surprise me because Gianni deserves more than having Versace become another acquisition by LVMH.

 

[rach2jlc]

If you think the accessories in Europe and the USA are bad... Versace has some licenses for accessories in Japan for neckties, wallets, and small bags that I've seen here and there. They are made in Asia and AWFUL... I would put them in the old, duty-free shop non-Ghesquiere Balenciaga or Givenchy Monsieur category. They are relatively inexpensive, but they are really awful. Black leather with a big, fake gold Medusa head that looks like plastic... eek. I hope that one of the new "streamlining" efforts by Donatella will be to get rid of these licenses.

John

 

[cloud9]

good job donatella.
i liked what she did with her last womens collection and i hope she keeps it up.
i liked how she lessened the bling factor but still kept the versace touch.
if she keeps getting better like this.. maybe in a year or two... versace might actually be REALLY nice again.

 

[kit]

If you think the accessories in Europe and the USA are bad... Versace has some licenses for accessories in Japan for neckties, wallets, and small bags that I've seen here and there. They are made in Asia and AWFUL... I would put them in the old, duty-free shop non-Ghesquiere Balenciaga or Givenchy Monsieur category. They are relatively inexpensive, but they are really awful. Black leather with a big, fake gold Medusa head that looks like plastic... eek. I hope that one of the new "streamlining" efforts by Donatella will be to get rid of these licenses.

John

Sounds like the old Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche licencees , before Tom Ford and Domenico de Sole cleaned out the Augean Stables there ; or even , God love us , the all the Pierre Cardin ones that still exist .

A cheapo Pierre Cardin ballpoint pen , anyone ?

I think not .

 

[Scott]

^

Yeah,it's nice to hear Donatella is getting help with her addiction. But like other's have said,I don't see a major turnaround for Versace.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

as much as i'd like to believe that this will change Versace for good, i highly doubt it will...

i remember being at the mens show and reading the press bried before it started..it said something like 'the versace man has traded his life of rock and roll for that of elegance and a midas touch'.....
the show starts and not only is the music rock and roll but there was a lot of leather and fur and buckles

Donatella needs to make sure she can coordinate her ideas with her actions, but i fear : once a drag queen always a drag queen

There's actually a photo of a rather nice leather jacket by Donatella in Fashion Now! by iD. It's possibly the only wearable piece of Versace menswear I've seen...

 

[LostInNJ]

We've heard that the next Versace collection will change it all for the past two or three seasons now, so I just don't buy it anymore. I'd be very surprised if this collection will make me think otherwise...

I think that her collections have changed...they are less toned down and a lot more approachable. She isn't going to drop the Versace signatures however, if that's what you mean by it hasn't changed

 

[pradaromance]

i think its sort of a trend to dislike Versace, if it was exactly the same done by YSL i feel people would think everything in the collection were the most fantastic things ever...

(only way i can sort of explain this is...its a trend to hate lohan, but yet she wears the same things as richie, and if they switched outfits it would still be the same, hail richie & "ugh lohan is so tacky")

 

[tott]

Yes, I absolutely think that's true; the way we perceive clothes is often heavily influenced by the image we have of the brand. It's like we can't objectively evaluate design. We need a "lifestyle" as well as a piece of clothing. It's sad, depressing and a bit sick really.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

(only way i can sort of explain this is...its a trend to hate lohan, but yet she wears the same things as richie, and if they switched outfits it would still be the same, hail richie & "ugh lohan is so tacky")

I don't like Lindsay Lohan OR Nicole Richie.

 

[orlem]

But like other's have said,I don't see a major turnaround for Versace.

You guys don't think the brand identity built by Versace has the power to turn back into a booming business? What if they make an "it" bag, and tone down the collections to be very wearable -- they will be trendy, sexy, and prestigious clothes, just what most customers want, isn't it?

 

[tott]

I don't like Lindsay Lohan OR Nicole Richie.

I don't really have an opinion of either. I've only seen some random comments in threads here at tFS...