It is not just the dresses on the Versace catwalk that are for sale this Milan fashion week, but Versace itself. One of the most glamorous names in fashion is up for grabs, with Prada, its longtime rival for Milan bragging rights, thought to be close to purchasing the company. The prospect of a sale raises the question of whether Donatella, designer since the death of her brother in 1997, will remain as creative lead.
Versace without Donatella is hard to imagine. She remains a hands-on designer, and the lightning rod through which Versace’s energy is conducted. “Everyone should have a little Versace attitude,” she said before this show, held under the iron shelter of a historic tram depot in Milan where, as a concession to guest’s skimpy outfits, the benches were heated.
