Donatella Versace examines what it means to be a man in 2019 and challenges the final taboo in menswear with a collection filled with brightly colored feather boas, negligees, and see-through PVC. “Only a confident man is able to see beyond the status quo and challenge it,” she stated in her show notes.” This new man is not afraid to play with his clothes and express who he is through his style choices.”
In a new collaboration with the Ford Motor Company for Fall 2019, she channeled the “excitement of buying your first car,” and the masculine energy of a powerful engine. The Ford blue and white logo was seen on everything from trousers, to miniskirts, shirts and hoodies, and even jackets. In one look, a leopard dye job on a model’s bleached buzzcut matched the leopard faux fur coat he was wearing. The collection leaned heavily on iconography taken from her late brother Gianni Versace who dressed men up as sex objects in the late 80s. There were printed harness on shirts and an abundance of leather in the form of trousers and jackets. A dress worn by model Vittoria Cerretti was accessorized with safety pins like the infamous dress worn by Elizabeth Hurley.
This was the Donatella’s first show in Milan since the house was acquired by Michael Kors Holdings Limited last September for over $2 billion, sparking debate about the fate of the brand’s future. “We really need to always be on top of things to remain relevant, and be ready to adapt and change direction as we see that things are changing. For all its gender and nonbinary references, Versace’s menswear is still very much defined by tailoring with masculine sex appeal and sculpted bodies. It’s safe to say the Versace we know and love isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
See All the Looks from the Collection
