Dua Lipa and Donatella Versace presented their co-designed “La Vacanza” collection last night in Cannes. Yep, after announcing the collaboration mere weeks ago in a joint Instagram post, we didn't have to wait long to see – or shop – the pair's designs.
After co-chairing this year's Met Gala and topping many best dressed lists recently with looks including an underboob-revealing cut-out dress and a tiny blue sequin bikini, Dua is on something of a fashion high at the minute. No pressure then pairing up with one of the *biggest* Italian fashion houses.
Luckily, the collection did not disappoint.
Presenting a selection of 42 looks, Dua and Donatella had a shared vision for a modern, elegant vacation (the English translation of the collection name) wardrobe that catered to every lifestyle with tailored silhouettes, evening gowns, bikinis, and terry cotton beach wear.
Naturally, the pieces were in the Versace colour palette of pastel hues we've come to see from previous collections. Read: shades of azur light blue and lavender offset with metallic shimmers, crystal mesh, and foundations of black and optical white.
There were also plenty of references to previous Versace collections with design details including buckled bralettes, twisted and knotted jersey, and ‘Nastro Gianni’ bands finishing at the bust. The duo reworked these key Versace codes into modern iterations, such as the reimagined archival print featuring the iconic butterflies and ladybugs originally featured in the Versace Spring/Summer 1995 collection.
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And as well as the designers themselves taking to the runway to close the show, there were also a couple of star appearances in the form of Lila Moss and Irina Shayk (who was wearing considerably more clothing than her last two appearances on the Cannes red carpet in an entirely see-through Gucci dress and a micro leather bra and matching low-rise skirt).
The duo's decision to collaborate isn't really a surprise as Dua has worn the luxury brand on many occasions, most notably at the 2022 Grammys when she sported Cindy Crawford's iconic vintage Versace dress. And as well as fronting the label's fall 2021 campaign, she opened and closed the Versace SS22 show during Milan Fashion Week, rocking two looks for her first time on the runway.
Unlike most fashion presentations that are debuted a season in advance, the Dua and Versace collab is a 'see now buy now' collection, meaning there's no need to wait to shop. Everything is available in-store and online on Versace.com and we've rounded up our favourite pieces below.
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Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
