The Versace Pre-Fall Show Is a Strut down Memory Lane
Versace held its first ever pre-fall show in New York last Sunday–the birthday of its late founder, Gianni Versace. Coming off of this year’s Emmy winning series about his death, plus the House’s acquisition by Michael Kors, the show was as much a tribute to the brand’s legacy as it was a statement on its future identity. It was held in the New York Stock Exchange headquarters, to underscore the house’s centrality and vitality in the fashion community. Also included was a to-scale Statue of Liberty flame gilded in Versace gold.
At such a tumultuous point in history, both in the world and within the fashion community, the House of Versace has been consistently looking towards the past. The 2018 spring show featured a reunion of epic proportions as the brand’s iconic 90’s supermodels reclaimed their runway.
Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen. Image via
Versace’s nostalgia for legendary moments carried through in the show, as a replica of That J-Lo Dress was featured in the closing. (Fun fact: Jennifer Lopez’s 2001 deeply plunging Grammy dress was so notorious and frequently searched on the Internet that it inspired the creation of Google Images). The cherry on top? In this year’s show it was modeled by Amber Valletta, who had debuted the original palm leaf patterned dress on the 2000 Versace catwalk.
8,176 Likes, 76 Comments - WWD (@wwd) on Instagram: "From left: Amber Valletta in *that* iconic plunging green dress on the Versace runway in 1999 and..."
The safety pin dress–one of Versace’s most storied creations–also saw a revamp for the show. The concept debuted in the ‘94 Spring Ready-to-Wear show (worn on the very same legendary models mentioned above) and was immortalized by Elizabeth Hurley at the 1994 Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere. Held together primarily by oversized safety pins with a plunging neckline it was–and remains–one of the most daring and creative LBDs ever. This year’s pre-fall show included homages to the concept, reinterpreting the ‘94 concept on various looks featuring the same gold pins scattered among black dresses, skirts, shirts and jackets.
Animal prints were also heavily featured and Gianni’s classic gold and black baroque/animal print fusion made a particular splash, in a few looks meshed with American flag-esque stars in reference to the “concrete jungle” of New York. Nods to Versace’s first-time host city didn’t stop there, as plenty of New York inspired looks were featured in the show. From uptown socialites to downtown artist types to tourists, the NYC melting pot carried a significant portion of the show’s theme, even featuring a Versace’d “I Heart NY” tee.
In their own words, the fashion house remains rooted in their history, bright colors, wild prints and Gianni and they’re fully committed to using this history to fuel their future as artistic pioneers.
VERSACE MEN AND WOMEN SWIFTLY MOVE BETWEEN THEIR MYTHOLOGICAL WORLD AND THEIR COSMOPOLITAN, MODERN CITY LIFE.
THEIR CONFIDENCE? ABSOLUTE.
THEIR SECRET? A VERSACE STATE OF MIND.
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