Versace FW 2025
The stakes felt higher than usual at Versace’s Fall/Winter 2025 show, held in a cavernous tram depot in Milan. Whispers of a potential sale swirled among the glitterati, adding a touch of drama to an already electric evening. Is this Donatella’s last bow? What is Versace without its reigning queen? Those questions lingered in the air as guests filed in, dressed to be seen and scrolling through their feeds, perhaps hunting for clues.
The runway was a love letter to Versace’s iconic past, yet decidedly rooted in the now. Donatella opened with a bold statement: three looks crafted from Versace Home duvets—yes, duvets—splashed with the house’s signature baroque motifs and reimagined into voluminous, sculptural silhouettes. It was camp, it was excessive, it was everything Versace represents. A nod to Gianni’s maximalist spirit, with a wink to the very interiors he used to decorate lavishly.
But it wasn’t all nostalgia. Among the brand codes she revisited—like the offset shoulders of Gianni’s final Atelier Versace haute couture show and the crinoline skirts inspired by his ballet costumes—Donatella also pushed forward. 3D-printed pieces, introduced last season, returned in even more flamboyant iterations, dripping with oversized crystals that glimmered under the depot’s industrial lighting. Rhinestone-embroidered jeans walked the line between street and spectacle, bridging the gap for a younger generation that mixes thrift and luxury with unapologetic ease.
Celebrities dotted the front row, and their presence is now a requirement at any Versace showing. The Hadids were there, naturally, alongside Dua Lipa, who seemed to be taking mental notes for her next red carpet moment. Kendall Jenner, in head-to-toe Versace, shared laughs with Lil Nas X, while Timothée Chalamet slipped in quietly, his hair tousled just so. Their collective presence reinforced Versace’s cultural grip—an enduring relevance that transcends mere garments.
And then there were the dresses—the kind that make you stop and stare. Two of the night’s standout looks shimmered in unraveling metallic thread, one gold, the other silver. These pieces weren’t just dresses; they were memories, reissued from Donatella’s very first show in 1998. For those who remember that era, it was a masterstroke of nostalgia; for those who don’t, it was simply magic.
As Donatella took her bow, the room erupted. If the rumors are true and this is the end of an era, she’s certainly leaving us with something to remember. But as the lights dimmed and the crowd began to spill back into Milan’s cool night, one thing was clear: Versace, with or without Donatella, will always be Versace. Excessive, bold, unforgettable. Versace.
