Picture: AP
Donatella Versace transported those at Milan's men's fashion week to the Middle Eastern desert last night where she set up camp in a spectacular Ottoman tent constructed entirely out of her signature silk foulard scarves.
The Italian fashion stalwart, who was flanked by a trio of semi-nude guards, described the brand's latest muse as "an adventurer in where he travels and what he wears" before sending her models down a sandy runway.
The collection fused the East with West and utility with tailoring. A notion of adventure also met a sports aesthetic in this spring/summer offering.
Versace at Milan Men's Fashion Week
There were tunics and skirts layered under suits and blousons in perforated khaki leather or printed nylon and opulent silk pyjama-suits in jewel tones that recalled the traditional Kurta garments of Middle-Eastern dress.
Oversized pockets and washed out khakis gave the feel of a desert uniform to long-spring coats and structured shorts whilst dip-dyed sequin-trimmed sweaters, worn tucked into heavily pleated evening trousers, allowed the designer to play with an iconic camouflage motif.
Tailoring, a key money spinner for Versace, was stripped of too much construction but retained the brand's iconic strong-shouldered silhouette.
Open seams and slashes on lightweight shirts and long length knits ensured that plenty of flesh was still on show while the occasional pop of purple and pink suggested that these were clothes that packed a confident punch. "This was a collection for brave men who are pioneers in every part of their lives."
And she wasn't exaggerating: this was an encounter between different worlds - Eastern in feel but Western in taste.
This collection marked something of an astute move from the Italian fashion power-house which seemed to be recognising the growing importance of the Middle-East in its global growth strategy.
The region is the third most important to the brand and is now rivalling the US in terms of sales. But this was more than a carefully pointed marketing plan.
Versace's first dedication is always to putting on a playful production that thrills her allegiance of fans and this one was pure Turkish delight.
