Donatella Versace - Designer, Creative Director of Versace

[FashionPower]

"I'm just wondering why Versace hasn't come up with a true classic bag for their brand yet. It could be such a money-maker! All they seem to do are bags with Medusa heads and chunky gold chains—they feel so uninspired. They don’t look sexy at all; they actually feel more like something made for kids. And those canvas bags? They just look like Dior Book Tote knockoffs.

Versace has never been an accessory brand, even during Gianni times they never had that smash bag or shoe.
During Gianni's tenure people used to go to Versace to get a showstopping evening gown, a sexy mini dress or a bold print twinset, never for shoes or bags. Now, with the Capri acquisition they go to get basics with Medusa details for ready to wear and cheaper alternative of other brands smash hits for bags:
- Versace Athena tote: 1800 Eur, Dior book tote: 3000 Eur
- Versace tag bag: 1000 Eur, Miu Miu Arcadie: 2300 Eur
It's really hard to push a bag if your brand is not perceived by the general public / press as an accessory brand. Even Coach has more staples than Versace in terms of bags. That's the same issue Armani has been facing for decades: have you ever seen anyone wearing La Prima handbag or any bag from Armani (apart from those tacky Armani Jeans / Armani Exchange PU crap)? No one...cause Armani is perceived as a ready to wear brand.

 

[proseccotabis]

The PR is another huge problem at Versace right now. They have terrible celebs ambassadors. For a brand so reliant on bold / strong image and clothing, their celebs antics and looks are so clashing.
- Anne is not an A list celeb and she is not bold enough to pull off the most daring looks. Also her following is not that great. She is still milking her success after that iconic Devil wears Prada role.
- Asia / Kpop celebs are so forced Just to please the Asian market. An after thought after they realized you need to appeal that market to boost sales. Versace is bold but their asian celebs are boring and bland.
- Male PR is the worst one: Cillian is a villain at heart, he is Saint Laurent, Prada...not Versace. Get Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Javier Bardem. Cillian for Versace is like getting Penelope Cruz for Prada.

and Sabrina Carpenter now as well....
Also the PAIRING of these ambassadors - Anne and Cillian in the same campaign.... shocking.
the Kpop ones - does anyone outside of APAC know them? fr.. Their presence doesn't scream Italian luxury.....

 

[GoldenPetals]

Whether it's Donatella's doing or not, Versace has this habit of jumping on anything that vaguely resembles a bandwagon. They need to let these celebs cook before they start recruiting them.

 

[Lola701]

"I'm just wondering why Versace hasn't come up with a true classic bag for their brand yet. It could be such a money-maker! All they seem to do are bags with Medusa heads and chunky gold chains—they feel so uninspired. They don’t look sexy at all; they actually feel more like something made for kids. And those canvas bags? They just look like Dior Book Tote knockoffs.

And to add to what @FashionPower said, remember that a bag is a status symbol.
There’s a connotation a biais regarding any brand someone wears and it has even more weight when it comes to bag.

A lot of different women can wear Versace clothes and shoes (depending on the collections) but what does a Versace bag mean? Is it cool? Is it edgy? Is it vulgar?

Buying bags from a fashion brand rather than a luxury brand means that the person has a deeper attachment to the brand. It’s a real sign of identification rather than simple validation or appreciation.

And it’s a question for all the brands seen as fashion brands and not luxury brands: from Dries to Rick Owens, from Armani to Margiela. Even Dolce & Gabbana that has slightly cracked the code with their Sicily bag isn’t there yet.

Only Givenchy, Balenciaga & YSL have really succeeded but it’s because those are brands that (from the moment of the launch of their accessories) have maintained a huge aura and a cool status for a longtime.

 

[Alquimista]

The PR is another huge problem at Versace right now. They have terrible celebs ambassadors. For a brand so reliant on bold / strong image and clothing, their celebs antics and looks are so clashing.
- Anne is not an A list celeb and she is not bold enough to pull off the most daring looks. Also her following is not that great. She is still milking her success after that iconic Devil wears Prada role.
- Asia / Kpop celebs are so forced Just to please the Asian market. An after thought after they realized you need to appeal that market to boost sales. Versace is bold but their asian celebs are boring and bland.
- Male PR is the worst one: Cillian is a villain at heart, he is Saint Laurent, Prada...not Versace. Get Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Javier Bardem. Cillian for Versace is like getting Penelope Cruz for Prada.

And people criticized me when I said Anne and Cillian were wrong for Versace. They're fab, but they are not sexy. Anne is perfect for Dior or Chanel's brand of femininity, and Cillian is the intellectual Prada man—not Versace.

 

[proseccotabis]

And people criticized me when I said Anne and Cillian were wrong for Versace. They're fab, but they are not sexy. Anne is perfect for Dior or Chanel's brand of femininity, and Cillian is the intellectual Prada man—not Versace.

Also I think they’re not perfect for Versace because of the client demographic - people that love Cillian and Anne won’t buy Versace IMO

 

[reese06]

The PR is another huge problem at Versace right now. They have terrible celebs ambassadors. For a brand so reliant on bold / strong image and clothing, their celebs antics and looks are so clashing.
- Anne is not an A list celeb and she is not bold enough to pull off the most daring looks. Also her following is not that great. She is still milking her success after that iconic Devil wears Prada role.
- Asia / Kpop celebs are so forced Just to please the Asian market. An after thought after they realized you need to appeal that market to boost sales. Versace is bold but their asian celebs are boring and bland.
- Male PR is the worst one: Cillian is a villain at heart, he is Saint Laurent, Prada...not Versace. Get Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Javier Bardem. Cillian for Versace is like getting Penelope Cruz for Prada.

Anne is A list but she is not convincing as a Versace woman. Neither is Sabrina Carpenter. They are both playing dress up and not very well at that.

All the men you named have the faces of a foot in 2024 and I can't imagine embodying Versace. It's going to be a no for me.

Hedi's Celine has the best range of ambassadors and celebrities used for campaigns that hit various markets. But it's hard to say who that should be for Versace when the direction isn't there for the brand.

 

[Kennnnn]

Versace has never been an accessory brand, even during Gianni times they never had that smash bag or shoe.

Versace also peaked before the era of the it bag, at the end of the 90s. People who loved Versace collected clothing and maybe some accessories - I remember the frenzy in 1994 around the punk/safety pin collection. You would kill to get your hands on anything - a sweater, a jacket, a bag, a brooch - with those dangling safety pins.

But unlike other luxury labels, the allure of Versace was never built around a bag. I think it says a lot about Gianni's talent, that the success of Versace was built entirely on the strength of what he actually presented on the runway.

 

[Xone]

 

[Salvatore]

I'm desperately ready for a new vision of Versace, but one that digs deep into what Versace really is about. I want the sexy and glamorous with slight hints of tacky Versace back with great craftmanship. I also want Atelier Versace back.

 

[proseccotabis]

I’m sad about this to be honest. Donatella exiting Versace might be a good thing for them in one way or another, but what if it’s a flop like Tom Ford without Tom Ford?

 

[fenty]

I hope they get rid of Jacob Kjeldgaard while they're at it, his styling has been an eyesore since FW16

 

[Lola701]

For me, Anne Hattaway is the perfect person for Versace because she challenges the perception we have on what a Versace woman can be.
I often remember that during Gianni days, Versace dressed Lady Di and Madonna, who are style-wise, for their time at the total opposite of the spectrum.

Having an actress ambassador goes beyond dressing her for the RC.

And luckily, Anne has enough charisma to embody what she wears.
I’m less convinced by the male faces of the brand.

I’m sorry, much like Tom Ford with Peter Hawkings, you don’t give such a brand to a number 2.
Either, you hire a star with a strong and confident vision or basta!

For me, changing the CD while wanting to sell is a huge gamble. If the new design director comes to help Donatella, why not? But to come to have the CD role? Hmm…

 

[GoldenPetals]

They'll probably keep her on as an creative advisor or something anyway?

 

[Salvatore]

I’m sad about this to be honest. Donatella exiting Versace might be a good thing for them in one way or another, but what if it’s a flop like Tom Ford without Tom Ford?

I feel it would be different. Versace has such a rich archive spanning decades with so many codes and iconography that one can really play with. Donatella herself contributed so much to the brand on top of the strong base Gianni started. Tom Ford is a little harder to work with, in my opinion, as it's more of a feeling that not many can tap into than something tangible like with the storied houses.

 

[tricotineacetat]

For me, Anne Hattaway is the perfect person for Versace because she challenges the perception we have on what a Versace woman can be.
I often remember that during Gianni days, Versace dressed Lady Di and Madonna, who are style-wise, for their time at the total opposite of the spectrum.

Having an actress ambassador goes beyond dressing her for the RC.

And luckily, Anne has enough charisma to embody what she wears.
I’m less convinced by the male faces of the brand.

I’m sorry, much like Tom Ford with Peter Hawkings, you don’t give such a brand to a number 2.
Either, you hire a star with a strong and confident vision or basta!

For me, changing the CD while wanting to sell is a huge gamble. If the new design director comes to help Donatella, why not? But to come to have the CD role? Hmm…

I agree. Although we don‘t have confirmation of an appointment yet, I find it upsetting to think that anybody in charge would seriously want a Miu Miu design director over a designer like Riccardo Tisci. We don’t know for sure who is being evaluated, but the thought that CEOs prefer to promote second-in-chief people these days over a seasoned designer with a strong artistic point of view is troubling.

 

[Thefrenchy]

^ For once, suits aren't to be blamed. Tisci's own ego ruined the opportunity he had at Versace.

 

[GoldenPetals]

Imagine if they hired Peter Dundas.

 

[FashionPower]

Imagine if they hired Peter Dundas.

He already ruined Cavalli during his short term tenure and he's been on autopilot for his own brand for years now. Another burnt / cooked creative director.
The Dundas who contributed to early 2000's eurotrash Cavalli and Ungaro yes, the Dundas who turned Pucci into a it brand yes, otherwise he can stay home.

 

[FashionPower]

I hope they get rid of Jacob Kjeldgaard while they're at it, his styling has been an eyesore since FW16

Starting from Spring Summer 2016, Versace styling has always been too quirky / pretentiously avant garde / wannabe Prada + Miu Miu, a mess. Bottom was reached with the Spring Summer 2019 show with leather evening minidresses paired with chunky sneakers, mixed tacky clashing flower prints and juvenile looking charms dandling from bags.