Trailing the end of the fashion month calendar, yesterday in Los Angeles Versace introduced its Fall/Winter 2023 collections for men and women. With the dusky city skyline all around, the rooftop at the Pacific Design Center hosted a star-studded affair—both in the audience and on the runway—that offered an undeniable nod to Hollywood and all its glory. Gigi Hadid was the first to begin the procession of models dressed in confident, sophisticated, and glamorous styles that framed the beauty of the Golden Age perfectly congruent with notes of modernity.
Courtesy of Versace.
“This collection starts from the understanding and appreciation of the body that we have always had in our heart at Versace,” said Donatella Versace. “We applied the lessons learned in the Atelier to ready-to-wear: the construction, the tailoring, the beauty of fabric. This is a celebration of our craftsmanship and understanding of true luxury to create a wardrobe for the innovators and changers of the world and the people who champion them.”
Courtesy of Versace.
The collection was composed of wearable silhouettes that managed to uphold a certain attitude removing them from descriptors like “practical” and “classic.” Taking cues from the house’s Spring/Summer 1995 designs were details like rounded shoulder shapes, structural bustlines, a certain style of Medusa hardware, fluted necklines, and statement stitching. These elements were accompanied by a selection of luxurious materials (like bouclé wool, faux fur, crackled leather, and double silk duchesse) and color choices rooted in sensible foundations of black and chocolate, with playful additions like turquoise, pink, and apricot.
Courtesy of Versace.
First in the lineup came business and daytime attire—tailoring sets and separates, crisp denim and leather looks, and dress shapes with above-the-knee hemlines. New for menswear, there were looks like a denim overcoat with a leather buckle at the neck, paired with a cotton poplin button-up, jeans, silver footwear, and a squared leather backpack with hardware; leather sets with a crackled effect revealing subtle color, styled with large leather shoulder satchels; and a suite of all-black looks—like one featuring a calf-length skirt, a knitted tank with buckle straps, black leather boots and gloves, and goggle-like reflective eyewear. For women, dresses and jackets were both round-shouldered and straight, featuring narrow waistlines and accessories like gloves, compact handbags, and mules with Medusa medallions. There were dresses with A-line skirts featuring folded pleats, shapes with nearly-sculptural details (like padded shoulders, fabric folds, and exaggerated hips), and the occasional denim and oversized shirt, elevated with stilettos and gloves.
Courtesy of Versace.
As the sun set, the looks transformed from day into night. Transitional styles from business to cocktail hour saw the inclusion of more color and pattern—silky floral motifs and animal prints of crocodile and dalmatian spots—then moving into eveningwear with appearances from the likes of Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner. Among these later styles with more panache, our favorites included a strapless spotted gown featuring a skirt with layers of expertly-draped silk chiffon, paired with opposing-hued silk gloves; a double-breasted suit in teal with leather gloves, metallic loafers, and a black handbag; and a twill dress in apricot with draped pleating forming a structured neckline, seen styled with a quilted turquoise bag and a dramatic cat-eye makeup.
Courtesy of Versace.
