First, there was Fendace. It came when Italian houses Versace and Fendi took the fashion industry by surprise, and joined forces for a star studded catwalk last September.
Now it seems creative director Donatella Versace has caught the collaboration bug. For Pride month she presents… Chersace!
It is what it says on the rainbow t-shirt. Cher, the Believe singer (and more importantly, indisputable gay icon) has helped create a Pride special, multicolour medusa logo, which comes splashed across tops, socks and a baseball cap. On the back of t-shirts are the co-creator’s signatures, three kisses, and the message: “celebrating love and unity”.
Campaign shots show Cher herself sporting a special, diamante studded version of the t-shirt – sadly that one is not available online.
The collection, available now and priced £80 - £280, is in aid of Gender Spectrum, a charity which supports gender-diverse youth and their communities. The release states a portion of all sale proceeds during Pride month will go to the charity, but does not detail the specific percentage.
“Donatella and I have been dear friends for a lifetime. It just felt right for our very first collaboration to be one about LGBTQ Pride and celebrating a community that means so incredibly much to both of us,” Cher said in a statement. “We wanted to make a fun collection supporting a good cause, and we hope you like it.”
Donatella echoes her excitement: “It has always been my dream to collaborate with Cher, and it’s finally come true! I’m delighted that we can support such a brilliant charity that has such a positive impact, particularly on young people,” she says.
It launches with ‘a Versace Production’ film, where Jake Bon Jovi - Jon Bon Jovi’s son, and boyfriend of Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown – takes on the role of a newsreader.
“Two icons both alike in diva-energy, in pride month, where we celebrate the scene, from long-held friendships to new love and unity, where Cher and Versace make, Chersace,” he says. Nothing short of poetry, really.
