Versace to skip Milan Fashion Week

Versace will not showcase its upcoming collection at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian fashion house has chosen to skip the annual fashion event, which runs from 23 February to 1 March, and will instead present its men’s and women’s fall 2021 collection online a few days later.

Versace confirmed to WWD that the co-ed presentation will be unveiled in a fully digital project set to debut on 5 March, and the show is currently still under development. The video will be filmed behind closed doors to adhere to strict Covid-19 safety guidelines, and chief creative director Donatella Versace insisted that the move was strictly for technical reasons. “Being a digital event has its advantages. One of them is the possibility of connecting with your audience whenever you think is the right moment,” she explained.

Donatella also said the decision to skip Milan Fashion Week does not affect her brand’s relationship with the event. “The decision to present the fall 2021 collection a few days after the Milan Fashion Week doesn’t affect the fact that Versace remains a proud member of Camera della Moda and that the brand will always be a key player and a big supporter of the Italian fashion system. Fashion is an art and sometimes it has to work outside the usual path to fully blossom,” the 65-year-old added.

Gucci and Bottega Veneta have also chosen to not appear at Milan Fashion Week.

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