24 May 2023 |
“La Vacanza is ‘the holiday’,” says Dua Lipa during a pre-show press conference for Versace’s Cruise 2024 collection. Co-designed by the Grammy-award winning pop princess and the peroxide blonde juggernaut at the helm of the house (we’re talking about Donatella of course), it was presented amid the “breathtaking” – as Donatella describes it – atmosphere of the courtyard of a sublime villa in Cannes. Unfolding concurrently with Cannes’ iconic International Film Festival, stars hitting the cinema this week were spoilt for choice. But with the likes of Dwyane Wade, Jeremy O’Harris, Lewis Hamilton, Peggy Gou, Rina Sawayama, and Simone Ashley in attendance, La Vacanza proved an idyllic destination.
Strutting down the central causeway of an infinity pool which sat atop a sandy, oceanside bluff, a procession of models ascended, clad in steamy petal pink ensembles, sending ripples reverberating through the crystal blue water as they walked. The looks were fierce, fun and flamboyant, with dramatic Barbie-core hairstyles to boot. Cocktail and evening gowns were cut with glimmering harness detailing and floral prints were now Versace-fied by way of White Lotus and metal-mesh, with the singing starlet describing it as “reminiscent of the Versace collections from before”.
Like their Milan contemporaries, Donatella and Dua (who decided to work together on a whim during a night out in New York) updated the cult codes of Y2K to feel attuned to the now, pairing second-skin capris with bra tops and punchy cropped jackets, as well as tiny skirts and dresses with butterfly motifs which are, according to Donatella, “a sign of freedom and lightness and happiness”. Speaking of a black polka dotted look made up of the same skin-tight capris and baggy cropped jacket, Lipa says, “I love this. It’s got a toughness to it. It’s got that fun and flirty feeling. You can wear it during the day, during the night. You can feel comfortable and also sassy at the same time. I just love this.” Elsewhere, terry cotton beachwear emerged, daubed with raised all-over “Versace” logos, just as expertly cut tailoring came draped over shimmering (or should we say simmering?) swimwear and barely-there bralette tops. But if that wasn’t enough nostalgia for you, a procession of ensembles that riffed on Versace’s spring/summer 1995 collection was defined by slinky metal-mesh mini skirts and gold Versace-motif body chains, bookended by its iconic Butterfly & Ladybugs print, now reimagined as a butterfly and polka-dot print that was born from the amalgamation of two different archival prints. “I feel very lucky that we got to dive into some archive prints,” Lipa admits. “Now I know the Versace heritage, history and everything up until now, inside and out.”
Lipa’s favourite look was the waistcoat dress, a flattering number that arrived on the runway levee paired with heeled cowboy boots, the Versace Greca Goddess Mini Bag – a key season accessory – and opulent renditions of Versace’s signature Medusa and Greca jewellery animated with hand-painted or crystal butterflies and ladybugs. Now that’s hot, hot, hot.
Immediately after the show concluded, “La Vacanza” was made available to purchase at Versace boutiques, and online at Versace.com, acting as a see-now-buy-now style rollout. “That thing I really appreciate is it’s instant,” says Donatella.
This is the first time the house has opened up the design process to an external collaborator in this way. “To get a voice outside of my team, to come and tell me how she sees Versace, it’s so important. It’s important because for me Dua Lipa represents the women today – confident, strong, and the capability to influence people,” Donatella explains. “Not only because she is super famous, but her life values are very, very important for women of every age today. She’s a woman who can help people to live the right way.”
Dua Lipa says, “Donatella and I, we’ve done a lot together over time, but the opportunity to step into the atelier and be a part of the story inside has just been absolutely mindblowing. I got word around October last year, and so I started making little sketches and I’d send them to Donatella and I’d be like ‘what do you think?’ I really can’t draw at all, but it was enough; we just have such a common language that we were able to bounce off ideas. It was really such a fun experience and I dived into something that I didn’t think I ever would have the opportunity to do, so I’m very lucky. I always say that Donatella has this very special thing that not many designers do at all, but she really cares about how women feel in the clothes and she wants to make sure that you feel really strong and empowered.”
A trip to the French Riviera makes total sense for Versace, and this collection especially as its entire spirit revolves around ‘The Holiday’ and all the balmy summer nights that make it. “Donatella and I bonded over our shared love of this time of year while making this collection. Digging through the archives we discovered we were drawn to a lot of the same references which was such an inspiring and fulfilling process,” says the singer. “This collection came from freedom,” adds Donatella. “Fun, freedom, and confidence.”
“I love the summer and for me this collection celebrates the very best of that time of year. Gorgeous colours, fun prints, and light silhouettes. This is the perfect summer collection – from lying by the pool in a fun printed bikini, to dressing-up to dance on hot summer evenings in the perfect evening dress – these clothes immediately make me think of my holidays and being in the sun,” Madame Versace continues. “Dua loves fashion, I love music – we are the perfect duo! We had such a good time designing this collection together. We felt like we were on vacation and that is exactly the spirit we want people to feel when they wear our clothes.”
“There’s always an occasion to wear Versace,” Lipa concludes, “and I know I’ll be spending my days (and nights!) in La Vacanza all summer long.”
Photography courtesy of Versace. Shop La Vacanza here.
