COMPLETE COLLECTION DETAILS

PARIS, July 7, 2001

By Armand Limnander

Don't even think about uttering dirty words like "daywear" and "sensible" in Donatella Versace's presence. In her star-spangled universe, there is only room for round-the-clock sexiness and extravagant glamour.

Donatella's couture romp was a hit: brash, bold and confident, like the celebrities that lined her front row. Kevin Spacey, Naomi Campbell, Christina Ricci, Heath Ledger, Rupert Everett and Sean Combs, escorted by a dozen or so of his closest bodyguards, all went crazy for the super-fitted bustier dresses, diamanté-trimmed furs, feather-lined coats and tall, beaded boots. Using lilac, deep violet, nearly fluorescent pink and golden honey, Donatella experimented with tiger and leopard motifs as well as anemones, wisteria and all sorts of printed, embroidered and stamped flowers on her sculptured body lines. Poufed skirt overlays complemented super-tight leggings; glittery spider-web dresses clung seductively to the models' every curve, while organza gowns blossomed into substantial volumes with fringed flounces shaped into petals.

After the presentation, Donatella's sizable entourage followed her to the newly refurbished Cabaret nightclub on the Place du Palais Royal, where P. Diddy manned the turntables and soon had the dance floor filled. Like everything else about this event, his raps—"Put your hands together for Naomi! Let's hear it for the Hilton sisters!"—were pure Versace.