Versace is undergoing a transformation as its parent company, Capri Holdings, moves towards acquisition by Tapestry, the owner of Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman. Donatella Versace, during a preview of the collection, expressed contentment with the impending acquisition, emphasizing the brand’s position as a true luxury house within the group. However, the Spring 2024 Versace runway revealed a departure from the brand’s signature body-con styles, embracing a more youthful aesthetic featuring pastel checkerboard duchesse satin suits, rounded ladylike coats, flat ballerina shoes, and hair bows.
In explaining the season’s boxy shapes, Versace mentioned that they were designed to allow movement, while the checks and soft colors aimed to present a fresh and contemporary appeal. Her muse was described as a powerful woman with a touch of sweetness. Inspiration for the collection stemmed from the autumn 1995 Versace and spring 1995 Atelier Versace collections, with references to Claudia Schiffer modeling a blue-and-green checkerboard crop top and ball skirt. The checkerboard motif, a house code since 1992, appeared occasionally on the runway, bearing resemblance to Louis Vuitton’s Damier check.
Despite this, the usage of the checkerboard motif felt somewhat disconnected from the brand’s established image, though it aligned with the overarching trend of embracing youthfulness with shorter shorts and skirts. Medusa-patterned silks were fashioned into boxer short and shirt sets for men and women, offering a contemporary update to the house’s iconic South Beach style. Moreover, lace-embroidered metal mesh slipdresses, notably one in pale yellow worn by Claudia Schiffer, resonated with the familiar elements seen in Versace’s oeuvre. The collection also paid homage to the late pop singer through broad-shouldered, four-button “Prince jackets,” serving as a strong statement in men’s fashion, echoing the fierce aesthetic synonymous with the house.
