Donatella Versace presented a stunning Versace autumn/winter 2022 collection that was heavily influenced by ’80s power dressing.
The focus was on coats.
1/5
Whereas the fashion show talked the dialect of boudoir dressing (and disrobing), it played as much with ideas of the exceptionally covered-up. It was as much a collection for the jacket fetish as it is for the mainstream. Versace stretched her tailoring muscle with gigantic, ankle-length silk-satin coats in the gem colors of lingerie, a green faux fur intarsia jacket with pink and black stripes – and a black duffle coat with the bright red sleeves of a aviator jacket.
It was power dressing for the post-pandemic era.
2/5
Creative director, Donatella Versace defined her autumn/winter 2022 collection as “an elastic band pulled tight and about to snap back with a build-up of energy”. After two years of horrors like “comfort-wear ,” “homecore,” and “WFH dressing,” it was a true depiction of how the hyper-glam Versace woman she designs for must feel. The antidote was this collection: a fitted, corseted, mini-dressed punch of power to the post-pandemic wardrobe, delivered on a gleaming crimson catwalk with a superb original soundtrack that blended what sounded like Versace’s voice with a pounding and thrilling beat.
The accessories were inspired by boudoir classics.
3/5
As soon as the show ended, screens in the runway’s center went up, revealing Versace’s legendary cast posing as if the 1980s had never ended. “Girls like Avanti, Anyier, and Tilly exemplify a Versace with a new generation attitude and a commitment to diversity. “They encapsulate the collection’s vitality and the styles built on contrast and tension,” Donatella stated. Her stacked platform heels and high boudoir stilettos with ankle straps stretched their legs dramatically, while the show’s ladylike Betty Page sexiness was complemented by sleek leather clutches with gold chains.
Corsets were worn the entire time
4/5
Almost every look featured a corset: worn alone as minimal bustiers; embedded in mini and ankle dresses; bustiers in tailoring fabric that matched sartorial trousers; built into wool and rubber coats; evoked within long-sleeved dresses as if a waspie had been styled over them; and – most ingeniously – structured into the waist of a puffer jacket that ballooned over it. If the boudoir silhouette created by the corsets wasn’t enough, Donatella complemented her looks with skin-tight rubber tops and polished latex leggings, further establishing the collection’s boudoir vibe.
The importance of good tailoring was emphasized.
5/5
The Versace collection was an effort in honing a few fundamental elements for its superb dressmaking. Donatella broadened the shoulders of suits and constricted the waists with voluminous trousers, evoking ’80s power dressing via an amplified lens. Tweed skirt suits unraveled at the hems in a polished punk fashion, while tailoring materials skirt suits paired a tiny hemline with huge, boxy blazers cut at the same length. She maintained her magical body grammar throughout, emphasizing her shoulders, waist, and hips.
