Versace spring/summer 2019 runway. Image credit: Versace
Italian fashion label Versace is hosting its first pre-fall runway show later this year in New York.
According to a report from Women’s Wear Daily, the brand will be staging its show on Dec. 2, the date of late house founder Gianni Versace’s birthday. While pre-fall has traditionally been a more under-the-radar season, more brands are taking the opportunity to stage shows in international locales.
Pre-fall push
While Versace just joined Michael Kors parent Capri Holdings (see story), WWD reports that the decision to stage a New York show happened before the September acquisition.
This will mark the first time that Versace has held a fashion show for the pre-fall season. The exact location of the show has not yet been announced.
Versace is not alone at turning pre-fall into a more major event.
Versace spring/summer 2019 show. Image credit: Versace
French fashion house Christian Dior’s menswear line is staging its first runway show for the pre-fall season later this year.
Slated for Nov. 30, the show will take place in Tokyo, celebrating the brand’s relationship with Japan. Pre-fall previews are often less of a spectacle in the fashion world, but with this move, Dior aims to showcase the season in a bolder way (see story).
The same week as Versace’s show, French fashion house Chanel will be holding its Métiers d'Art show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Beyond its significant runway show date, Versace has paid tribute to its late founder through designs. The brand created a limited-edition T-shirt series, an off-shoot of its ready-to-wear spring/summer 2018 collection.
Artistic director Donatella Versace selected meaningful archival prints that she created together with her brother, Gianni Versace. The collection is meant to celebrate the life of Mr. Versace who was fatally shot 20 years ago outside his Miami home (see story).