Donatella Versace once said the red carpet was the new eveningwear catwalk. So her atelier show in Paris on Sunday, opening the haute couture collections, was a preview of what the stars will be wearing to the Oscars ceremony next month – because in the next few days the glamorous spring-summer collection will be winging its way to Los Angeles.
British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wears a look from Versace’s spring- summer 2016 haute couture fashion collection. Photo: AP
Another Versace creation shown in Paris. Photo: AFP
There is one thing you can say about Versace: Donatella knows how to design an attention-grabbing dress. Lots of super-sexy slashed white jersey and guipure lace gowns, a few in black and some in blue, but all with scooped out backs that finished with a drape around the nether regions, and held in place by either fine sporty white and crystal mesh or broad straps. Perfect for that look-over-your-shoulder paparazzi shot. Lara Stone, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Gigi Hadid, well practised at posing on the red carpet, took a turn for Donatella on her white catwalk.
Mesh and strap detailing are a feature of the Versace spring-summer 2016 collection. Photo: AFP
A model presents another Versace creation. Photo: AFP
There was one seemingly demure (from the front) white catsuit with a racy low-cut back. Dresses, long and micro-mini, and ski-pant and bomber-jacket combos, mostly in white and with mesh and strap detailing, showed a sportier vibe this season. There were bright primary-coloured, sporty bikinis and one-pieces under diaphanous black gowns that just might be a bit too racy for Oscars night.
