Milan Friday: Versace and Elisabetta Franchi

Donatella Versace staged a striking new collection inside a medieval castle, apparently little altered by her company’s proposed merger, as Elisabetta Franchi gathered strength in her latest show.

Good to see Donatella Versace doing very Versace. Which is what happened Friday evening in a driving, fast-paced show inside Milan’s massive historic nerve center, Castello Sforzesco.

And staging it with actual supermodels who – in a reflection of how bad business is – have been thin on the ground in NYC, London and Milan. Not at Versace, where Gigi Hadid starred in a beautiful beige and eggshell blue floral dress with a scalloped neckline.

The Californian supermodel stomping around the elaborate X-shaped catwalk inside the gigantic medieval castle. Like most of the cast, Gigi towered even higher in super high heels.

Followed by Italy’s top catwalker Vittoria Ceretti in a golden metallic chainmail skirt topped by a khaki military shirt. Ceretti – currently dating actor Leonardo DiCaprio – looked like a gal on late night maneuver and very much in charge.

Before Iris Law, sporting bleached white hair. The 23-year-old daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, jaunty in a purple blotch floral summer frock. And standing even taller in a new mega platform in bold color bitter orange. A slinky co-ed collection of color and energy that suggested Donatella is in a very good mood.

Like practically every brand in Milan, Versace had a score of Asian stars – K-pop pixies, Thai toy boys; wantonly obscure Chinese actresses, whose movies will never be shown in the West. But the Medusa-head house of Versace has always loved a UK aristocrat.

This time on the front-row was Lady Amelia Spencer in a leather corset dress. Joining the niece of Princess Diana were Lady Eliza Spencer, Channing Tatum, Normani, and Italian rapper Fedez, the ex of troubled Italian blogger Chiara Ferragni. Looking, quite frankly, ridiculous as he kept pulling to heel his golden labrador wrapped up in a Versace silk scarf.

Adding to the energy, Donatella hired ace sound architect Frederic Sanchez, who responded with a driving soundtrack that mashed up the grandiose ‘Symphonia’ by Alok & Severin with the rock funk of ‘Dancer’ by Idles & LCD Soundsystem. Attired in bright red cocktails and humongous platform boots, Donatella took her bow in one corner of the vast courtyard with a long wave.

The show comes during the financial merger between two groups, Tapestry and Capri, the latter the owner of Versace, which has been contested in an antitrust suit by the U.S. government. Asked about the lawsuit, Versace CEO Emmanuel Gintzburger, responded diplomatically: “Oh, you know,“ he said, drawing his fingers across his mouth to indicate no comment.

The former seat of power of the Visconti dukes of Milan, the castle was an ideal setting for vampy, seductive and sexy collection, boldly setting Versace light years from the quiet luxury and archive driven vision of most houses here. In fact, among all the great fashion houses of Milan, Donatella produced the freshest approach, the least timebound by the past. Merger madness has not affected her apparently.

Some say the best cooks in Italy come from Bologna. Turns out they have a good creator too, Elisabetta Franchi, who impressed with a sassy and sexy, almost entirely black-and-white collection Friday evening.

Franchi has been batting around for many years, but has recently found momentum following the acquisition of a 23% stake in her business by ex-Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri. With fresh investment and management, Franchi seems poised to grow. This snappy and sexy collection suggests she will.

Elisabetta cut a great jacket, especially her mannish blazers, finished with tiny bows. Then paired them with just a pair of tights and suspenders, or at most a silk mini slip dress. She drapes with ease, throwing together languid silk dresses and soft suits with shawl collars and askew skirts.

It was a hit-and-miss show which needed a tighter edit, and less of the breastplates on men’s shirts looks. But when she got the mood right it looked flattering and fresh. Especially her silk jersey halter-neck cocktails, aided by just-right accessories – golden wristband bracelets, chokers with mini locks and tough chic amulets.

Positioned somewhere between a No. 21 saucy Milanese and a Dolce & Gabbana sexy widow, Elisabetta Franchi has a clear understanding of her own DNA.

Next up is a new boutique in Bal Harbor, Florida in November, with further U.S. store openings in the pipeline. The future looks bright for Franchi.