Versace
MILAN, October 4, 2003
By
With Beyoncé and Mariah Carey lined up as her front-row celebrity focus group, it came as no surprise when Donatella Versace trotted out an eye-popping spectacle of color and print. Versace’s multihued petal power overflowed with hothouse citrus, turquoise, pink, and violet—all those shades that look best in the sun, on utterly bodacious bodies.Using a combination of stretchy draped tops, thigh-hugging pedal pushers, and a huge rush of floral gowns, Versace reprised something of the exuberant eighties optimism for which her brother Gianni was known. (Linda Evangelista walked the show as a reminder of those high old days.) There were halternecks, bra tops, and flouncy rumba blouses. A turquoise suit—if a jacket and a pair of micro shorts qualifies for such a description—came printed with magenta daisies. Tiny chiffon ruffles trimmed everything from plunging necklines on trailing evening gowns to provocative bikini bottoms. There were some calmer moments, like white suits and a couple of tooled leather, frill-embellished jackets and coats. But as the models strode up and down, big hair bouncing and curves outlined to the max, this looked like a collection aimed directly at divas.
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