It’s no secret that Versace is one of my favourite high fashion brands. The only thing that could improve is if Donatella and the Versace family took back what they built. It’s interesting when you look back on the previous years of a fashion house and contemplate historical business decisions.
For example, what would’ve happened if Michael Kors didn’t acquire the Versace brand? Would Versace be as powerful as it is now, or would they have slipped into obscurity? That all remains to be seen.
Something that remains to be seen, however, is the latest campaign from the Versace brand. I have a genuine love for editorial images and the attention and creativity that goes into forming them. To me, editorial images are all about telling a story. That story should be somewhat true to the brand no matter the creative director. But, modernism and technological enhancements should always be embraced.
This is not the first time that a creative director has chosen to star in their own brand’s campaign, and it is a lovely sight. The interesting development here though is the growth of top models Gigi and Bella Hadid.
Hadid Sisters
The last time I recall seeing the Hadid sisters front-and-centre together making an impact was when they shared a magazine cover. You could tell that Bella had an edgy look compared to Gigi, with an all-American look. That hasn’t stopped either of their successes in the industry as they both continue to book runway shows across the globe and grace multiple fashion covers and editorials worldwide.
Donatella is all about women’s empowerment and showing women in their most basic sense. Sensuality and grace. The way she designs her clothes with the women in mind makes her one of the most important designers of women’s fashion today. Think about the Liz Hurley dress or the jungle dress. Her dresses are curve-hugging in all the right places, making her a master of the trade. Donatella is a living legend, but self-critique won’t allow her to admit it.
The Donatella & Hadid Campaign
One thing I like about the campaign is the touch of ‘family‘. Usually, the women are sexy, wearing the latest collection with sleek hair and makeup. TThis time the hair has more volume, much like the 2019 campaign with Shalom Harlow.
The girls are smiling and lovingly involving Donatella. Almost as if the girls are genuinely happy that they are together again. It’s very convincing, as these are the feelings most familiars have with one another when they operate in the same industry. You are happy that everyone’s career is going in a progressive direction, and you have that as a support system.
The campaign was shot using the clothes displayed on the 2022 spring summer catwalk. It is nice to see the campaign finally brought to life, as most of our high street stores are pushing out their new spring-summer stock.. One of the stores that make me think of the Versace collection is Zara. It’s almost like they took styling tips for the show and embedded this into their store layout.
Many who cannot yet afford Versace live vicariously through these campaigns. It is a nice pull-away from the usual ad campaigns for womenswear that I am used to, and I like it. It could be that I enjoyed the collection when it came out or that the Hadid sisters are back together again. Either way, Donatella always hits the nail on the head for me. There is so much feminine inspiration within her designs. One day, should we all be lucky, we’ll experience her designs first-hand.
