Milan - RTW SS13 - Versace

City: Milan
Season: Ready-To-Wear, Spring/Summer 2013
Show: Versace

The Versace woman - a wallflower she is not. Yet after last season’s frankly disastrous collection (just thinking about those crucifixes and putrid yellows is making me all light-headed and woozy) it was refreshing to see something a little less…jarring for Spring/Summer 2013. However the Versace woman is still very much a bombshell - think smoked-out eyes, tumbling locks, artfully bronzed limbs - but this time she’s a little more earthy, a little more carefree. High-rise gladiator sandals added teeth to the first few looks, see Jacquelyn Jablonski’s Coachella-worthy separates (top left), while some very heavy embellishment furthered the warrior princess motif, as was the case with Julia Frauche (centre). As the full-length gowns came out so too did the venerable Versace glamour, and the ultimate Versace signature, the thigh-high split, was out in full force: see catwalk newcomer Kel Markey (bottom centre) wearing her diaphanous version with aplomb. Painterly prints and tie-dye accents finished off the tribal-luxe vibe, with Kasia Struss’ orange gown (centre right) making for a truly breathtaking crescendo. Donatella, I am not normally a fan, and I may not be able to forgive the ‘occult chic’ travesty that was Autumn/Winter 2012 but, for now, I am sold. Kudos.

This piece was originally published on alisonlaurabell.tumblr.com in October 2012.