The Versace show in Milan this October also drew a new and rarefied audience. Next to the usual celebrity suspects sat designers Donna Karan, Karl Lagerfeld, Miuccia Prada and even Versace’s rival, Giorgio Armani. They insisted they wanted to support Donatella Versace, who was presenting her first complete line in the wake of her brother’s death. But they also came to gawk at her attempt to keep the empire afloat. The results were better than anyone had imagined. Donatella’s neon silks, elaborate prints and low-cut everything evoked Gianni’s style while stepping out of his shadow. Versace won’t become a museum relic any time soon.
