Versace and Givenchy are two top designers in the field of fashion today and when two designers as big as Donatella Versace and Riccardo Tisci from Givenchy can appreciate one another’s work and even collaborate, the results are lovely. That’s why the news that Donatella Versace will be featured in Givenchy’s fall 2015 campaign comes as both shocking and welcome news. Some designers may be surprised to even think of working or modeling for opposite labels, but it is refreshing that these two powerhouse designers could come together and show that major fashion changes may be upon us. Donatella is following in the footsteps of some of the biggest stars like Kate Moss, Beyonce, Ciara, Madonna, Julia Roberts, and Naomi Campbell and she’s sure to do great!
Donatella took to Versace’s official Instagram page to share a photo from the campaign and captioned it: “I believe in breaking the rules. Riccardo Tisci is very talented and especially my best friend. We are a family…I want to get rid of the old system, work together, support each other and make fashion a truly global community”. In another photo posted a day later, he captioned it simply: “To the family!”. Getting rid of the old system of sticking to your own label and not branching out to collaborate with other designers would be fantastic not only for designers, but for all consumers and fashionistas alike. Imagine seeing Chanel and Alexander Wang collaborations, Marc Jacobs and Moschino lines… The possibilities are endless!
On working with Donatella, Tisci passionately says: “I approached my friend Donatella because she represents a fashion icon to me. We think it is time to push boundaries and provide a robust message about how fashion thinks.” and also posted an instagram photo with the caption “Givenchy is proud to present Iconic Donatella Versace…” Donatella’s signature heavy eyeliner and long blonde hair would blend perfectly with the edgy masculine silhouette showcased in the instagram trailer. Their captions also show the different levels of friendship where they may work for opposing labels, but still respect Kother. Donatella called Tisci “unbelievably talented” and Tisci called Donatella “iconic” showing that friendship and rivalry can go hand in hand.
Another incredible fact to note: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, photographers for this important and rare designer collaboration, also shoot for Versace and stylist Carine Roitfeld have been featured in Givenchy’s campaign. The designers not only combined their own talent, they also brought in their own photographer and stylist to add the cherry on top of this already incredible collaboration. The move follows other surprise moves with Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Louboutin being amongst several other designers asked to revamp Louis Vuitton’s signature monogrammed bag as part of Louis Vuitton’s 160th birthday celebrations. With these major designers moving in to work with each other, what could occur next? Will Riccardo Tisci star in the next Versace campaign? Will Tisci and Donatella collaborate on the whole Versace x Givenchy line? Only time will tell, but fashionistas, get excited because it looks like many fashion barriers will soon be broken and doors will be opened for the great designers of tomorrow to collaborate!
