At Versace’s Spring 2023 Milan show, the lights were set in a hazy purple, candle bulbs flanked the runway, and Paris Hilton closed out the show in a glittery dress and hot pink fingerless gloves. Destructive Y2K Goth has been completely reborn. The ringleader of the Goddess Transfiguration.
The show opened with a cut-out jersey dress, then came first in rocker leather in the form of mini skirts, fringed jackets, low belts and silver and gold studded gowns. Versace has forever been associated with bold prints and colors in the past, and the nearly all-black collection felt like a deep dive into the slightly different look the label touched on in recent seasons.
Black is arguably one of fashion’s most powerful shades and stands for so many things, from mourning to power dressing. On the brink of a recession and breaking out of the cocoon in which maximalism truly flourished, more designers are gravitating to a blank slate of color as a concept (see Richard Quinn or Balenciaga). Awareness feels like a fresh start.
Versace’s vision of black was well executed, with embellishments, layering, styling, and playing with proportions to keep the darkest shades evocative. But when it came to some pieces, such as the spiky black knit, it was difficult, intentionally or not, to see them as incredibly informative. has made that particular style his signature for the last few years.) Elsewhere, the Y2K aesthetic that permeates the collection, like one we’ve seen so much before from Anna Sui in the ’90s. felt. Or the modern Blumarine. The hooded look was gorgeous, but it felt like a Holston-era Grace Jones moment.
What resonated as a kind of glorious thing is that part of the collection was rendered in a very particular shade of purple that was totally acid. With slip dress gowns, hooded tops, tiny leather tube dresses and chunky jackets, there was no doubt that pigment had a huge impact and power on the runway.
Technicolor brides in highlight yellows and hot pinks capped the show with delicate veils, featuring some of the industry’s most talked-about figures including Adut Akechi, Precious Lee, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Irina Shayk and Emily Ratajkowski. .
Black portends a new era of maximalist goth with every season of dopamine-infused color. The shade itself seems to be trending. Bottega Veneta had green, Valentino created an aided pink moment with the rising Barbie Core trend, and it’s easy to see how Versace grasped for such a directional purple. .