Instinct and attitude: Styles clash and combine. Silhouettes contrast. Pinstripes are subverted with tailoring for the street: the stripes wide, the cuts playing with the idea of uniform, perfectly paired with sportswear layers. Laced eyelets turn a masculine shirt into a corset dress, the lacing with a functional draw-string for utilitarian edge. Cropped jackets in garment-dyed denim have exaggerated moto sleeves, crop tops and skater skirts emphasise the provocative effect of short layers. Oversized plaids play with scale on a men’s car coat. Match with a buttoned-up shirt and cropped, flared utilitarian pants for a look that twists the norm. Techno tweed is matched with unexpected fabrics, like black patent for a gilet and pants, or raw-edged with vintage denim for pants and a western jacket. The VERSUS lion is reimagined by hand, appearing as patches on denim jackets and T-shirts, as well as intarsia knits. A new camouflage, cut-up from the new VERSUS lion, is printed onto a long-sleeve cropped dress with safety pinned cut-outs at the waist. Motocross style Versus logos flash across sweatshirts and fine knits. While knit sweaters are padded with motorcross detailing.Punk mood comes in a one-sleeve dress slashed at the front, then held by a safety pin through eyelets. Fil coupe give unexpected elegance to a slash-sleeve T-shirt dress.
Grommets add toughness, whether to men’s denim jackets, or women’s skirts that are slashed then partially laced. Logos are key, like the VERSUS logos on a white men’s sweatshirt: one in pink graffiti, the other embroidered with long threads left hanging. Fluid dresses get a hard edge, with slip and flapper dresses cut and reassembled from chiffon, georgette, net and printed T-shirt jersey, the seams overlocked and engineered like the insides exposed. VERSUS bags with a new iconic buckle have flashes of neon colour. Sneakers have platform treads. Heel sandals come with socks. Bucket hats and VERSUS caps finish the look.
“The VERSUS generation stands for individuality. It’s about an instinctive mix, an open mind, a carefree attitude.” Donatella Versace
