With platinum hair, a full mouth and a preference for black eyes, Donatella Versace She has one of the most imposing images among fashion designers. It is difficult, then, that, when it comes to Italian women, the classic greeting at the end of the parade goes unnoticed. You may remember that last season she wore a full skirt and doll boots in soft colors. The pieces were part of the collection that had just been presented. In winter 2024 Versacehowever, the sweet look gave way to the good old all black in his punk star version.
“The pin is about rebellion, and I’m a punk at heart,” said Donatella, in 2013, in an interview with Dazed. The statement is, to this day, one of the designer’s most shared. Although the pin, the ultimate symbol of the punk movement, was introduced into the label during Gianni’s era, the contribution came from her sister. After refusing to return for another costume fitting, in 1993, Donatella tweaked the dress made by her eldest son with the instrument. Even though, unexpectedly, the proposal worked, it produced an entire collection and was immortalized on the body of Elizabeth Hurley.
The iconic story, however, was not enough for some. Years later, in a collection by the designer, the use of pins was detonated. Donatella would have murdered the punk movement, according to one critic. And it is precisely him that the Italian looks to this season.
On Friday night (23.02), in Milan, the Versace woman and boy’s hair was spiky, and their eyes were outlined in dark shadow. As heavy music blared throughout the room, they walked down the catwalk wearing black and knee-high boots. Between the pointy collar shirts, leggings and transparencies, the image was that of a legitimate punk star with the extras that make Versace Versace 一 the Medusa print, the leopard print and the bodycon, of course.
One of the highlights of the collection is the moment in which corsets appear on dresses with a type of super-structured drape on the skirt. One of the pieces, in fact, was already being worn by Anne Hathaway, sitting in row A. In the trends, there was a bit of indie sleaze, a reference to the 2010s in ultra-thin belts (they also appeared at Gucci), ripped pants and high waist skirts. If you were a young person in the decade, you probably used some of this for clubbing. In the color palette, in addition to black, there was also space for red, brown and some bright lapses.
The irony is that there wasn’t even a single pin left. The choice was hardly random. Over the past few decades, Donatella has weathered the ups and downs, steering her family’s multimillion-dollar empire with strategy, boldness and a dose of feminine perversity. More than anything, the Italian is a survivor 一 of the industry and of life. She would therefore not need the most obvious symbol of punk to evoke the rebellious attitude on her catwalk.
To read exclusive and multimedia content, subscribe to ELLE View, our monthly digital magazine for subscribers