It's been fifteen years since Gianni Versace staged his last couture show at the Ritz in Paris. But, in an emotional homecoming, his younger sister Donatella returned to the iconic hotel on Sunday to unveil a fabulous new couture line that her late brother would have been proud of.
A star-studded crowd – including Pierce Brosnan, Milla Jovovich and Jessica Alba, who was stunning in an LBD that featured intricate studded detail – turned up at Paris Couture Week for a spectacle that oozed Versace's signature sex appeal.And the fashion world was certainly impressed. Donatella's decision to reintroduce the luxury line after an eight-year hiatus came after the huge success of its collaboration with high street retailer H&M when young girls queued around the block to snap up her pieces. “That’s when I realised how powerful the Versace name still is,” she told the Daily Telegraph. “And I thought, maybe it’s time to remind everyone that we can also do the most precious, one-off kind of clothes too.”
Also taking a highly coveted seat in the front row were quirky R&B musician MIA, Mad Men beauty Christina Hendricks and actress Elizabeth Banks.Redhead Christina stuck to her usual formula with a gold, figure-hugging dress that played up her ample curves and red lips. Versace devotee Elizabeth, meanwhile, was lovely in a light grey A-line dress from the label's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection. A voluminous updo and striking cat-eyes provided the finishing touches.
Despite losing her luggage on the trip over to the French capital, Elizabeth looked in great spirits. Corseted silhouettes were paired with cinched waists and revealing material to provide an ultra sexy vibe. An array of mini bodycon dresses ramped up the raunchy feel, while long dresses featured thigh high splits in their billowing layers of chiffon.
