Spring 2015 Haute Couture: Atelier Versace Explores Cuts and Curves
One couturier who does sexy really well is Donatella Versace, with clever construction that can perfectly complement the contours of a woman’s body — or make it more voluptuous — by using strategic cut-outs or apparent seams, teasing with a peekaboo or two, tastefully revealing plenty of cleavage, and accentuating with thigh-high slits. While the designer is also comfortable putting on plenty of ‘glitter’, her Spring Summer 2015 Couture Collection was a picture of restraint when it came to sequin and crystal embellishments, preferring to let the sharp tailoring of the Atelier Versace do all the talking.
She created elegant cut-outs on her dresses, but always covering the revealed skin with sheer tulle (sometime embedded with tiny crystals) embracing the forms of her women with twirls on a hip or accentuating a low back with asymmetric crisscrossing. And off-the-shoulder dresses with asymmetrical cut-outs certainly put the spotlight on necklines this season.
Versace described her collection as being “about cut, and the curves of a woman’s body … when we started the collection, I said I wanted no straight lines at all. Every seam is curved”.
Using transparent crystal-threaded mesh, her dresses played peak-a-boo, seemingly flashing bare skin when in fact the body was modestly covered in flesh tone fabrics.
There was a hint of 1970s with a white pantsuit with generous flared hems and a large belt with square buckles, but also a nod to today’s Emoji culture with large embroidered applique on the sleeve of a bomber jacket or on a couple of short dresses.
The collection evidently has the seal of approval from Kate Hudson, who, sitting in the front row, was already wearing a short version of the collection. Expect to see plenty more of these sexy gowns come Oscar night.