Versace
MILAN, February 23, 2007
By Sarah Mower
Donatella Versace was the first person to find a good name for the elusive chemical-bright turquoise that has shot through the best collections of Milan: She called it litmus-paper blue. Her use of it was spot-on, as was a startling red and a single bolt of sulfuric green, as well as chic contrasts of black, camel, and white. Is this the most important news to come out of Versace? Maybe: Bold color innovation combined with a pared-down, superprecise shape can make a collection jump this season. It cross-references with both Prada and Jil Sander. Perhaps this is becoming the twenty-first century's first run at making minimalism exciting—and who would have guessed that Gianni Versace's little sister would be involved in that?But she is. Donatella Versace has stripped off the gold Medusa heads, canned the scarf prints, and set about cutting a strong, feminine silhouette. "It's about a bell shape. Controlled volume. Black and white—and color to put the life in," she said. The "bell" is actually a kind of molded hourglass, emphasizing the waist and hips, but constructed in a demi-couture manner that neatly avoids constricting vulgarity. Versace used it in techno-fabric dresses, jackets, and tailored coats, and in one amazing dyed red fox that had been shaved into that shape in the midsection.
Not that Donatella has fully restrained herself from channeling the more-is-more essence of Versace. You still see it at full vent in her varnished gunmetal crocodile coat with short flared mink sleeves, the hilariously excessive white powder-puff fur-and-patent bag, and, of course, the chain mail and draped, slit evening gowns. Still, the picture of what Donatella has to say is becoming clearer by the season. It's a cleaned-up image of a strong, expensive woman completely in charge of herself, and though there is eye-poppingly luxurious technique involved, the most striking development is just how wearable most of the clothes are beginning to look.
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Fall 2007 Ready-to-Wear
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3.1 Phillip Lim 6267 -
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Badgley Mischka Balenciaga Balmain BCBG Max Azria Behnaz Sarafpour Betsey Johnson Biba Bill Blass Blumarine Bottega Veneta Brian Reyes Bruce Bruno Pieters Burberry Prorsum -
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D&G Daks by Giles Deacon Daryl K Dennis Basso Derek Lam Derercuny Diane von Furstenberg DKNY Dolce & Gabbana Donna Karan Doo.Ri Douglas Hannant Dries Van Noten Dsquared² Duro Olowu -
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Elie Saab Elie Tahari Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
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Fashion East Fendi -
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Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Gucci -
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Haider Ackermann Hamish Morrow Heatherette Hermès Hussein Chalayan -
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Iceberg Isaac Mizrahi -
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J. Mendel Jason Wu Jean Paul Gaultier Jens Laugesen Jeremy Laing Jill Stuart Jil Sander John Galliano Jonathan Saunders Jovovich-Hawk Junya Watanabe Just Cavalli -
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Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld -
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L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin La Perla Lela Rose Loewe Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria -
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Naeem Khan Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Naum Neil Barrett Nicole Miller Nina Ricci Noir -
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Oscar de la Renta -
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Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Som Peter Soronen Phi Philosophy Pollini Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
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Rag & Bone Ralph Lauren Reem Acra Réyes Richard Chai Richard Nicoll Rick Owens Roberto Cavalli Rodarte Roksanda Ilincic Rue du Mail Ruffian -
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Salvatore Ferragamo Sari Gueron Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Stærk Stella McCartney -
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Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Toni Maticevski Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese Trovata TSE Tuleh -
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Undercover United Bamboo -
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Valentino Vena Cava Vera Wang Veronique Branquinho Versace Viktor & Rolf Vionnet Vivienne Tam Vivienne Westwood VPL -
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Wunderkind -
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Y & Kei Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
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Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
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