I love the confident smell of Versace air. Everytime fashion week comes around, one of my favourite shows in Milan is the Versace show. This year, I had to thank the Gods that fashion week was commencing on a Friday because I would’ve slept through the whole thing otherwise. Zero energy this year. But luckily, I have some fantastic girls on my timeline that kept me informed the entire way. I caught the Versace SS23 show when it aired, and I was amazed and both shocked. I didn’t initially understand the show’s colour palette, especially as we’re talking about a spring-summer collection. Then I heard rumours of the clobber being inspired by a Church, and I had to pause the social commentary there. I got funeral vibes from the entire collection. Let’s dig deeper into my thoughts below.
The show opened with a piano piece, and then the studio soundtrack to the collection began, which was odd. To this day, I can’t quite wrap my head around why the piano piece in the opening because it clashed with the soundtrack. Some models were set prop pieces in the virtual room that hosted the show. If these models had opened to the designated soundtrack, that would’ve made for a smoother opening. Again, the dark clothes they wore with accompanying shades make me feel like this collection is perfect for modern funeral wear. Of course, you’d have to be a pretty confident person to wear this at all.
Versace SS23 Soundtrack
As for the soundtrack – Oh my goodness. Sex to the devil? Yeah. There is no way a Church was the inspiration behind the collection. Contrastingly, a Church is an art, and art inspires life. According to Donatella, the Goddess of Freedom inspired the collection. I agree with her and say that she achieved that with this collection. The models walked out as confident as the lyrics for the song. These women encompassed brides of confidence.
Irina walks to the “Sex To The Devil” soundtrack of the Versace SS23 show. pic.twitter.com/xu1hBM5pye
— SSEDITORIAL RUNWAY (@sseditorialmag) November 5, 2022
My favourite custom soundtrack used in the show was “Boys Are Bad.” It’s the perfect anthem for reasons why I should focus on myself and happiness.
Mixed Metal Jewellery
Mixed metal jewellery
– As seen on Anok Yai.
Something else that Donatella has been working on since FW20 is her mixed metals for jewellery. As seen in model Anok Yai and many others, she mixes silver with gold jewellery. A decade ago, mixing jewellery was a big no-no. However, I believe that is because most people wanted to fit into the historical fashion stereotype. The confidence this collection of jewellery brings is very telling of the modern definition of what it means to enjoy fashion.
Versace SS23 Bags – Bringing Fringe Back and layering
Versace (2023) pic.twitter.com/dD4WvV8hrK
— SSEDITORIAL RUNWAY (@sseditorialmag) November 5, 2022
Can we quickly speak about the fringe, cut-out and studs? She put fringe fabric on bags, pants and coats. Studs were on jackets, purses, and necklaces too. These little details were all over the runway this year that made me reminisce about that 2006 grunge, rock and roll era. The era of Avril Lavinge! She came out with that raw “I’m going to steal your boyfriend because I’m a hot girl” energy and every look in this show encompassed that. Most models looked like dangerous liaisons to stay away from. But still, it makes them all the more intriguing.
The Platform Boot Continues
Shoes at the Versace SS23 show. pic.twitter.com/k5AS8yy9Q0
— SSEDITORIAL RUNWAY (@sseditorialmag) November 5, 2022
The great thing about having that “hot-girl” energy is that Donatella gave us heels for “Sexy O’Clock”. The heels ranged from a five-strap stiletto to platform sandals. It makes sense for Donatella to keep to the trend of platform pumps since the inception of the Aevitas pump in FW21. Sales have been through the roof, and they are a fan favourite. Consumers are going to style their outfits to their liking. Including fresher ideas for this collection was the key to continuing the confidence benchmark Versace started a few years ago.
When I compare this spring-summer collection to the SS22, the stark difference is in the colour palette. Her colour palette last year was full of neon colours (very predictable for spring-summer). This year her colour palette was purple, pink and black. As mentioned earlier, I did find this initially quite alarming because this collection can easily transition into a fall-winter one. Moreover, a lot of leather was in this collection, from bags to shoes. That could prove to be problematic in warmer climates and uncomfortable. This is a clear example of Donatella wanting women to be the epitome of confidence and to wear clothes that make them happy. I liked to see lace and silk used interchangeably for practical reasons.
After looking at the materials used in the collection, I enjoyed the layering and use of sunglasses. It’s a total juxtaposition because if you’re wearing layers, there should be no need for sunglasses as it would be hot. But there Donatella goes again, redefining the ideal Versace hot girl.
Versace SS23 Hair & Makeup
Next, keeping with the Versace hot-girl vibe, I liked the hair and makeup very much. As a black girl, single plaits are an elite hairstyle. They’re great because they protect your natural hair, don’t need fixing and provide air to the scalp. Similarly, during the summer, you don’t want to play with your hair every minute so having it down is a great alternative. The hair had some volume which looks good when the wind blows. Some models wore purple lipstick, but my favourite was pink lipgloss.
Top Models & Paris Hilton
Before this show, I posted a list of top models I looked forward to seeing on the runway. That is because they have the best walks and take shows seriously. Donatella and Piergiorgio did a great job with the casting this year, and I’m glad the outfits were unique. Only two looks were spitting images of each other worn by Iman Kaumann and Imaan Hammam.
Lastly, I wouldn’t dare skip over Paris Hilton’s walk. She has had the best celebrity walk in the shows thus far, in my opinion. It could be because Paris is a real fashion girl and has grown up around high fashion all her life. She did a good job, and it ranks as one of my favourite looks. The dress is so sparkly and makes for a perfect night-out slip dress.
