“The inspiration is always Donatella.” So said hairstylist Guido Palau backstage at the Versace show in Los Angeles last week. The designer brought her collection to town to celebrate the connection between fashion and film—a link made clear when Lady Gaga wore the show’s closing look to the Oscars three days later.
But, as this First Looks video makes clear, the trip was about more than the red carpet. Long an LGBTQ+ advocate—some would even call her a gay icon—the designer recently launched a partnership between the Versace Foundation and the CFDA to benefit LGBTQ+ design students. On day one of Vogue’s two days with the designer, we followed along as she visited LA’s LGBT Center for a fireside chat-slash-masterclass with students, some of whom were wearing her work. “It’s good to see people with that excitement and who love fashion so much,” she said. “But you have to work hard.”
Day two was all about the show: runway walk-throughs, hair and makeup, first looks. Throughout the day, Versace talked about dressing a commanding woman—how that was her goal with her fall 2023 show. “We all want the same thing: a woman to look sensual, strong, and powerful,” she said. If there’s one thing to take away from this video, it’s that Donatella herself very much lives up to that description.
Director: Nina Ljeti
Director of Photography: Stephen Tringali
Editor: Sammy Cortino
Producer: Naomi Nishi
Creative Producer: Gabrielle Reich
Producer, on Set: Kristen Rakes
Associate Directors, Creative Development, Vogue: Alexandra Gurvitch, Billie JD Porter
AC: Gio Barot
Audio: Glo Hernandez
Locations: The Maybourne Beverly Hills, Los Angeles LGBT Center, The Pacific Design Center
Production Coordinator: Ava Kashar
Production Manager: Kit Fogarty
Line Producer: Romeeka Powell
Senior Director, Production Management: Jessica Schier
Assistant Editor: Marisa DeMarini
Post Production Coordinator: Jovan James
Supervising Editor: Kameron Key
Post Production Supervisor: Edward Taylor
Associate Talent Manager: Phoebe Feinberg
Director of Content, Production, Vogue: Rahel Gebreyes
Senior Director, Programming, Vogue: Linda Gittleson
Executive Producer: Ruhiya Nuruddin
VP, Digital Video English, Vogue: Thespena Guatieri