I don't really understand why the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture (French fashion's governing body) invited Versace to show Haute Couture in Paris. He takes ideas from everyone, understood what he was ripping off, and coated it in bright, beaded iconography and gold Orton mesh so that when it came out again no one could ignore it. His designed Pop Art dresses when Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian Dresses and even Warhol's paper screen dresses got there first by 20 years ago or so. Rubberised minidresses channel Pierre Cardin; oversized, asymmetrical men's suits recall Yamamoto. His skintight leathers? Purely Alaia. Even Versace's revival of ruching for S/S 1997 - a trend that still doesn't show signs of stopping - can be traced to the classical draperies of Madame Gres. Versace tooks fashion's greatest hits, pumped them up, and gave them immediacy by linking them to a parade to famous bodies.
That kind of work cannot definetly be Haute Couture. It's all about originality and new ideas.