Donatella Versace has rubbished the efforts of celebrity designers claiming they are no competition to her.
The 55-year-old Italian – who took over as creative director of Versace after her brother Gianni was murdered in 1997 – has slammed a “lack of creativity” in lines designed by famous stars.
She said: “I think it is more a question of marketing. Some of these collections are for cheaper, mass market fashion. I don’t think that creativity is there.
“You need to live among real things, you need as much information as possible.”
While Donatella did not single out any famous person in particular, there are a number of celebrities with their own clothing lines including Victoria Beckham, Gwen Stefani, Katie Holmes and Jessica Simpson.
Although she’s not a fan of celebrity designers, Donatella – whose famous fans include January Jones and Angelina Jolie – has previously revealed she is worried that young designers find it difficult to get started in the industry, saying: “Since the big fashion groups started, of course, it’s harder for young people to get started. Now you talk about merchandising, marketing, where to put a product, how much it should cost, entry prices, and for someone straight out of college, that’s scary. I think that the pushing of the commercial side of fashion over the past 10 years has maybe killed creativity a little – I’m talking generally here – but that may be changing again now.”
Christopher Kane’s SS2011 collection, shown at LFW last week, was always going to be a hard act to follow. But the Brit designer has outdone himself in the S/S clothes for Donatella Versace’s diffusion line Versus, which graced catwalks at Milan Fashion Week.
Everyone’s favourite fashion Glaswegian is a big fan of slightly perverse, little-girly Lolita styling, as we saw last Spring in the form of lots of babydoll dresses in gingham, with some very high side-splits that were practically knicker-flashing. It’s no surprise then that the Versus show this week saw models sent down the catwalk looking like they were getting fitted for their summer boarding school uniforms. The catwalk was decorated to look like a school playground – it even had swings. Mr. Kane is a very cheeky man.
He’s graduated from little-girl gingham to Catholic-school plaid for Versus’ SS2011 collection, as shown in the little flirty-skirted dresses that we’ve come to know and love from the designer. Just pop on some knee socks and a straw boater and hey ho, the perfect playtime outfit. Worked into the plaid fabrics were cute tiny floral prints that helped the collection progress to a more summery atmosphere, while flashes of bold pinstripes kept the “head girl” look going strong. My personal favourite from the collection was the separates outfit (picture 9 of 12 in the gallery) which showed off some adorable floral capris, a matching cardi complete with a vivid pink school badge and – this is Christopher Kane we’re talking about – an incredibly sheer black blouse worn underneath for more than a cheeky flash of skin.
Donatella, you made a good choice when you asked Christopher to design for you. Keep Versus coming at us – we can’t wait to see AW2011.
Versace was one show we couldn’t wait to feast our fashion eyes on at Milan Fashion Week and thankfully Donatella Versace’s SS2011 collection didn’t disappoint.
The designer put together a show of vibrant fashions including statement curve hugging body con dresses in exotic geometric print knits and longer than usual lengths.
Like many designers at both MFW and LFW there was a nod to fringing in dresses as well as a range of cropped jackets, suit skirts that were paired with tops and PVC embellished dresses.
Colours were bright, playful consisting of white, red, black and turquoise.
The fact that Mad Men star January Jones turned up in the front row says it all.
We are used to seeing her donning her Sixties retro full-skirted frocks and Stepford Wife pearls for Mad Men, but the real-life January Jones is anything but. The actress is Elle‘s August ’09 cover girl as shot by Mariano Vivanco. Check out the video above for a behind-the-scenes look at her shoot – and keep your eyes peeled for an appearance by Donatella Versace! Click play on video above to watch.
The first Versace fashion show to take place in China will be held on Nov. 13, showcasing both the women’s and men’s spring 2009 collections.
Donatella Versace will attend the gala, which includes a dinner and auction to benefit the Jet Li One Foundation.
The aim is to open children’s centers for post-trauma and psychological relief in China’s Sichuan province, which was hit by a devastating earthquake in May.
She and Everett will be the guests of Time Style and Design editor Kate Betts and managing editor Rick Stengal. Do you think Donatella will tone down her look for the land of boxy suits and pilgrim shoes?
If the writer’s strike continues and we have no more Grey’s to keep us warm during cold winter nights, we can at least stare at pictures of a Versace-clad Patrick Dempsey soon. The star of Enchanted, a screening of which he is pictured at, left, has signed on as the new face of the Italian fashion house.
“Patrick represents everything that is great about this collection — he has that confidence, he is completely comfortable in his own skin, which is so attractive. He is the modern man of today and of course looks fantastic in the clothes,” said Donatella Versace.
The campaign was shot by Mario Testino last month and will begin print circulation in February next year.
Donatella Versace has rubbished the efforts of celebrity designers claiming they are no competition to her.
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