Glamorous Power Dressing..Versace - Fashionweekly..On Fow24news.com

Donatella Versace can claim to be in the forefront of the second - or is it third? - round of fashion addressing the subject of strong women.....
And, indeed, dressing those who support the cause.The process has taken a long time since the Seventies, when women supposedly burned their bras to protest against sexual stereotypes (although there is no evidence that this ever actually happened).The Eighties, when ultra-broad shoulders and trouser suits for work announced the shattering of the glass ceiling and women breaking into the boardroom, was more obviously a fashion era when evolving wardrobes announced societal change. It could be said broadly that Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton were destined to underscore their political positions by wearing masculine clothes.

All those fashion statements had faded by the new millennium. But another round had already appeared before the current political situation, when President Trump's attitudes towards women have caused concern on various levels and has brought many thoughtful women back into an arena of protest.

Donatella tore herself away from a conversation with her good friend, the model Naomi Campbell and announced: "I changed and the collection is for a different type of woman."

The designer wore her heart on her sleeve with the word "equality" in bold white letters on black. These were subsequently followed in the show with the words "courage", "loyalty", "love", "unity" and "strength" printed in various places, including headbands, dresses, scarves and a top.

"It’s not the same collection - it's for a different kind of woman," Donatella said. "I try to think as a woman with strength, coming together like in a time of war, every side. We are living in a very difficult time right now. Scary. I don’t know what the future is going to be."

But for her collection, Donatella knew what she wanted: "Normal looking clothes, but with more fluidity for the body to move. She plays with proportion, but she’s strong."

Empowering women – everyone says the same thing now - but this has been a few years in my mind," she continued. "I've been talking to very intelligent women. In America and the rest of the world. We are strong and if we get together, we can do something."

As the show started with dark tailoring, perhaps with a white shirt crossed with the word "love" at the hem, I could see the Versace thought process. This sexually confident woman was happy to show flesh in a split skirt dress or a waistcoat cropped at the midriff. And she walked out boldly in a dress where "loyalty" - the words swivelled round - appeared from neck to mid-calf hem.

It was a bold statement, spelled out almost entirely in black and white, with yellow and orange joining the parade. A couple of puffer jackets reached a new level of casual and ergonomic dressing for Versace.

But a revolution of women's attitudes? I don't think so. The ending showed evening clothes with leg splits for marching out in high heeled shoes. The slender golden dress seemed just the thing for the red carpet. But not, perhaps, for Red Square.