Take a Medusa head, cover it in gilt, add copious amounts of sex and rock ’n’ roll, and you have all the ingredients for the Versace woman. Syed Zulfadhli reports from Hong Kong.
Take a Medusa head, cover it in gilt, add copious amounts of sex and rock ’n’ roll, and you have all the ingredients for the Versace woman. Syed Zulfadhli reports from Hong Kong.
In Greek mythology, Medusa was an enchantress. Her beauty tempted the Greek god Poseidon, who acted on his temptations in Athena’s temple, thus tarnishing the sanctity of the goddess’ sacred space. An enraged Athena punished Medusa by turning her into a serpent haired monster, destined to be scorned by men who’d turn into stone if they laid eyes on her. Despite her fate, Medusa found herself an unlikely admirer in Gianni Versace.
Gianni was born and raised in Reggio Calabria, a commune in southern Italy that’s surrounded by ruins from the city’s past as a Greek colony. The carvings of Medusa on ancient floors caught a young Gianni’s attention and fueled his imagination. When it came to choosing a logo, Gianni enlisted the image of Medusa to further depict his penchant for bold and unapologetic fashion suffused with classic undertones.
In the years to come, Gianni lifted Athena’s curse through a heady mix of super-charged glamour and revved-up sex appeal, weaving the gilded images of Medusa on opulent prints and glistening hardware so much so that it became a ubiquitous part of the Versace language.
Today, Medusa is one of fashion’s most recognisable symbols of femininity, strength and beauty—qualities deeply rooted in Versace’s ethos of female empowerment—and one Donatella inherited upon the tragic demise of her brother.
As Creative Director, Donatella understands that confidence and attitude—plus a killer wardrobe—are what a woman needs to stay in command. “When I am designing, I am always thinking about what women need at all points during their day,” she once told BAZAAR.
The subject of sexuality is never taboo with Donatella, who, season after season, creates sexy pieces that celebrate a woman’s form and her role in society. Think: Billowy gowns bedecked with sparkles and sequins, strategic cuts and slits on dresses that play visual peek-a-boo, or parkas that lend a sense of aerodynamism. For fall/winter 2017, Donatella cut a mélange of boxy suit jackets, slinky dresses and heavy-duty puffer jackets, some matched with t-shirts decorated with words like “unity” and “courage”. It is her rallying call for solidarity in a troubled world.
Besides Donatella’s designs, celebrity connections have also played a vital role at Versace. Music powerhouses from Lady Gaga to Rihanna have put up dynamic performances dressed in Versace, while modern-day goddesses such as Gisele Bündchen and Gigi Hadid have been handpicked to appear in ad campaigns and runway shows for embodying the ideals of the brand.
At Versace, it is always about “giving women the ability to show themselves and their power to the world,” Donatella explained. Her approach in fashion is equally spirited and gutsy. “Be brave, be fearless, be yourself. That is how I push Versace forwards,” she added, her blonde mane swinging sexily in the wind, with a bold gilded Medusa by her side—#girlpower has never looked better.
