Donatella Versace - Designer, Creative Director of Versace

[tourbillions]

Time for tisci to go where he belongs. His versace couture would be delicious and sexy and fashion.

I imagine his animal prints in givenchy would make a return if he goes to versace.

 

[Xone]

But it’s different because Versace’s tackiness has always been associated with the idea of creativity. Yes, it’s sexy, tacky but it’s exquisite. I think it’s Janie Samet who said that Gianni elevated bad taste to Art.

And the reality is that because Gianni was recognized for his genius, he was able to dress a wild range of women. And this is something that Donatella has also managed to do. She dressed Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and other women who are far from vulgar and trashy.

It’s a bit the same with Balmain. Yes it’s sexy, trashy but it’s also seriously done. And Balmain had that chance with the blazers and jeans who became it pieces and then staples from the house. Decarnin during his era dressed Audrey Tautou and Celine Dion. Even Olivier, today he can dress Beyonce, who is tacky in a very showgirl way, and Brigitte Macron who has to be the representation of a classic bourgeoise First Lady.

It’s a bit like Alaia. When we look at the Alaia shows from the 80’s and early 90’s and compare it to the line up of women he was dressing, the gap is insane.

Laquan Smith is not there yet.
And the reality is that Versace has managed to build that empire because it was more than that. There’s a plateau reached by Versace that Cavalli, Dsquared2 or Laquan Smith (who are more in a similar vain) will never reach.

agree on all...They need to be bought by some conglomerate with a vision not like Capri...they need to refocus and dont try to reach everything...close VJC (it sells well?). The thing is they are a follower now, doing what everyone is doing....its out of focus....

 

[bc collector]

I want @Phuel to tell me what's trashy about this. You have a pretty limited and biased view on Gianni's work, IMO. His collections in the 80's and up until 1990-91 (like the dress in the pic) are often ravishing, even to those, like yours truly, who don't necessarily subscribe to his taste.
Then he embraced bad taste and the world seems to remeber him only for that, even if, like @Lola701 points out, it was a phase, almost obliterated by his last Couture collection, which was sleek, graphic and almost totally black. The thing is, Gianni was a true tailor and an exquisite technician, which saved him from the perils that a heavier hand might incur upon when doing "bad taste" (read: Rousteing). And let's not even talk about poor Roberto Cavalli, who had to wait for Gianni to kick the buck to get some attention on his work. Now, if someone tells me that Cavalli is Euro-Trash, I agree...

 

[Alquimista]

^^^ Versace is... appreciated in fashion. Just like Olivier’s Balmain and LaQuan Smith are appreciated in fashion. That doesn’t mean they’re not tacky AF, nor that I would touch their wears with a 10-mile pole LOL



It’s all good if you don’t see the trashier side of high fashion that’s epitomized by Gianni and Donatella Versace and their sensibility. If you perceive their aesthetic as elegant— that all good as well. And no doubt their vision of fashion has been influential, endured and become a standard. All this still doesn’t make the brand any less trashier.

The brand Versace is synonymous with the brand of excessive wealth that's flaunt/flex/favoured in an environment like… Vegas. And there are Vegases and its denizens all around the world. Just because it’s an environment with a people where wealth and glitz are prominently— and grossly displayed, doesn’t make it elegant nor stylish. Expensive can still be pure trash.

I understand that Versace appeals to demographics people don't consider sophisticated but that doesnt mean Versace is a void of elegance, creativity and allure.

Its a particular allure but I would never define it as trash. If you look carefully at vintage pieces, runaway photos, its clear that design is there, savoir faire is there.

 

[GoldenPetals]

The problem is that "trashy" is a loaded word. If by "trashy" we're talking about flagrant, brazen, or ostentatious, then yes I would say Versace could definitely be trashy. But if we're talking about classless or tasteless, then I'd disagree. One meaning is not always synonymous for the other.

 

[blueorchid]

I think it's easy to forget (especially if you follow fashion) that this is probably what most people think of if you say "Versace":

 

[Phuel]

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I want @Phuel to tell me what's trashy about this. You have a pretty limited and biased view on Gianni's work, IMO. His collections in the 80's and up until 1990-91 (like the dress in the pic) are often ravishing, even to those, like yours truly, who don't necessarily subscribe to his taste.
Then he embraced bad taste and the world seems to remeber him only for that, even if, like @Lola701 points out, it was a phase, almost obliterated by his last Couture collection, which was sleek, graphic and almost totally black. The thing is, Gianni was a true tailor and an exquisite technician, which saved him from the perils that a heavier hand might incur upon when doing "bad taste" (read: Rousteing). And let's not even talk about poor Roberto Cavalli, who had to wait for Gianni to kick the buck to get some attention on his work. Now, if someone tells me that Cavalli is Euro-Trash, I agree...

LOL Herb shot that Halston dress like no one can. He can shoot a pair of plain white gym socks and convince the world it’s crafted by the most masterclass couturier of… sockmakers. (Just have a gander at his campaign for Armani socks that does exactly that). Versace’s campaigns up to the mid-2000s had always been stellar in standards. You’ll hear not a critical peep from me when it comes to the campaigns from that period.

And perhaps Versace’s an impeccable tailor and the quality is immaculate-- no doubt with Atelier Versace. I’ll take your word for it. And experience has taught me that there is enough from any brand/label/designer— even your much maligned Cavalli, when it comes to separates, that can impress. We can pick every nit from every designer— and I’ll bet I’m able pull an entire editorial worth of clothes from that Kim Jones person, style it, shoot it, produce a presentation with a talented team, and it’ll impress.

The air of… “pop/poor taste”, that’s always permeated Versace has always been the retail offering and the brand of people that they dress. The blatant, ostentatious, and outright crass display of wealth and affluence is just straightup an unattractive trait of this brand. The image of Bruce Weber’s cast of men and Meisel’s cast of women of the campaigns are very different from the reality of the types that are attracted to the brand: The Real Housewives come to mind. It’s a demographic that doesn’t take the eurotrash reputation of the brand as a subversive, sartorial wink: They’re dead serious that they’re the alphas wearing Versace. Whereas, someone like Miuccia and her once great Prada and Miu Miu slyly subverted the many faces of geek chic with the masterclass tailoring and sartorial design of a bygone dapper/elegant references, culminating in a modernity that’s the antithesis of the very one-note of Versace’s.

 

[bc collector]

^^^^^ And there you go again, you keep focusing on the campaigns (and campaigns from the same period on top), whereas I was talking about the clothes...btw, your theory that a good image maker can redeem any piece of poorly made rag is questionable, to say the least.
Versace was NOT always permeated by what you call "pop/poor taste", it simply wasn't. I stress once more that Gianni's work, especially in the late eighties, was quite something...power dressing with panache, colour, a very strong graphic sense, a brilliant counterpoint to Armani. And also, I would never judge a designer by his customers, especially Versace, since I believe they changed a lot pre- and post- Donatella, but even while Gianni was alive. Would you judge the worth of Lacroix by his Edina Monsoon-like, Texan oil millionaire's wives clientele?

 

[Phuel]

^^^ …You posted a shot from a campaign shot by Herb as a testament to the greatness of Versace. And without exaggeration, a photographer who can make a pair of white gym socks looks heavenly, sensual, and unreal. Then you accuse me of judging the fashions only by the campaigns LMFAO

I loathe 80s fashion and its aesthetic, particularly the late-80s. So the likes of Montana/Versace/Karl Lagerfeld will never win me over. And it’s only a natural reaction to judge a brand by its customer-base. I’m sure there are very cool people that are also Versace stans; I just haven’t met any of them. It’s no different than judging Phillip Plein by his customers. It's fashion: We are going to judge teh fcuk of of the most superficial aspect of it. And Versace is as glitteringly, gloriously superficial as it gets.

 

[vogue22]

And Isabeli Fontana! I wonder what happened there, we haven’t seen her on the Versace runway since like ‘05?

She has had an ongoing conflict with Jacob Kjeldgaard since the mid-2010s.

 

[vogue22]

Im glad that for a designer, the stylist is « more important » than the model…Unless its the fit model.

Well not when the stylist is Jacob K and the model is Isabeli tho lol..

 

[vogue22]

Time for tisci to go where he belongs. His versace couture would be delicious and sexy and fashion.

I imagine his animal prints in givenchy would make a return if he goes to versace.

Tisci should be at Balenciaga, not Versace. That ship has sailed a long time ago.

 

[Scotty]

Well not when the stylist is Jacob K and the model is Isabeli tho lol..

One of the main reasons for Versace’s platform heel, bucket hat-wearing downfall. Progressively worse and worse every season.

 

[proseccotabis]

Well not when the stylist is Jacob K and the model is Isabeli tho lol..

wooooooowwwww the stylist in question is Jacob?! oh girl had no chance then lol... he's some power alright...

 

[fenty]

She has had an ongoing conflict with Jacob Kjeldgaard since the mid-2010s.

He needs to GOOOOO

 

[vogue22]

He needs to GOOOOO

No for real tho get Karl Templer on the phone right now Donatella!

 

[Kennnnn]

Fausto Puglisi at Versace maybe? 🤣

 

[GoldenPetals]

I'd love to see a more romantic Versace. I miss the Grecian elements.

 

[jeanclaude]

Fausto Puglisi at Versace maybe? 🤣

He thinks he is Gianni...so maybe it could work after all!!

 

[reese06]

He thinks he is Gianni...so maybe it could work after all!!

He is so limited.

Do we need him to come in with outright reproductions of the archives? Lol

He also designs in the 2D. Very flat. I question if he has even taken a basic draping class. A Versace gown needs movement. And Fausto is like looking at a paper doll on the runway. Even Olivier Rouesting has improved in that department.

He’s hot though.

I wonder if alexandre vauthier could chart new territory for Versace. I personally would love to see what he could do if he were to have a chance to dig in and connect with the archives. He could elevate the house from its current public image