Another month, another high-street/high-end collaboration. This time? Versace meets H&M in a seriously flamboyant, seriously Italian, seriously Versace collection filled with bright colors, leather bustier dresses, cut-outs, short skirts and loud prints.
Seriously. Versace.
As with many of the previous designer capsule collections for H&M (and other fast-fashion storefronts), the Versace for H&M pieces draw from the fashion house's illustrious, glittery past. You'll find everything it has come to be known for, and pretty much none of it is for the weak of heart.
A classic black silk crepe dress features gold Grecian buttons on patent straps ($149) that's so body-consciously conforming that Jennifer Lopez might have worn it in a music video in the '90s. It's slightly reminiscent of Versace's “safety-pin dress”—you know, that revealing (at least, for '90s standards) black number Elizabeth Hurley wore to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Actually, the entire Versace for H&M line is really, really, really '90s.
The real standouts of the line are the leather items such as the fitted, leather biker jacket with the studded border of the Very Versace Grecian print ($299) and the studded leather dress ($299) that Donatella herself stepped out in just earlier this year on a Milan runway. Sure, the bright prints scattered throughout the collection are a bit odd for a fall/winter release—but in Southern California, you can get away with wearing bright-green-and-turquoise palm-tree-print leggings ($29.95) and a yellow-and-orange leopard silk miniskirt . . . with a hot-pink sunset surrounded by a baroque frame printed on the front ($69.96).
The Versace X H&M release also includes some men's items—which is great news for your boyfriend who's been looking for the perfect pair of multicolored leopard-print boxer briefs ($17.95). The buckled leather high-tops are pretty neat and remind me a bit of the also-iconic (and ripped off tons last winter) vintage Gianni Versace low-heeled, couture boots.
The collection hits stores on Nov. 17—which should give you plenty of time to rest up if you want to get to the mall early enough to snatch up what you want.
