Folio.YVR Issue #4/5: Andy Dixon: From Versace Home to Runway

The Versace Men’s Spring-Summer 2020 collection is a celebration of contemporary masculinity. Iconic house codes, colorful prints, and ironic nuances are combined with new tailoring silhouettes in signature Versace style. The personal journey of a young man, coming of age and finding his confidence, is subtly referenced throughout the collection. Status symbol race cars and intentionally oversized silhouettes evoke the spirit of adolescence. The Versace man is free to self-express with no limitations.

The power suit is revisited through innovative silhouettes, fabrics and playful hardware accents that boast empowering messages. Double-breasted jackets pay homage to the brand’s DNA, with half the garment in solid black contrasting against Prince of Wales fabric. Animalier, laminated textures, and lurex separates juxtapose formalwear, imposing a new energy.

Fringed leather outerwear, motorcycle vests and dark denim are introduced as wardrobe essentials and are layered over new prints. Versace iconography is embraced through a nod to 1990s culture, including inspiration from Prodigy, the British band accredited to the rave moment. Medusa Biggie eyewear is depicted in pop-art motifs and placed on silk shirts and sweatpants. Emblematic Versace fragrances and vintage advertising of the mythological character Narcissus are featured on denim pieces.

The brand’s most recognizable elements are reinterpreted in saturated color. An archive print featuring the Roman god, Bacchus is hand-painted by artist and friend of the House, Andy Dixon. Opulent vases and a race car motif from Dixon’s work have been developed into seasonal patterns and fabrications. Silk shirts, knitwear, and light metallic separates feature
the collaboration between Versace and the artist.

For Spring-Summer 2020, Versace menswear takes a sharp turn for the self-assured. Stereotypes of masculine character are challenged through tailoring, fabric and print – an interpretation of confidence through Versace’s maximalist style.

“For this collection, I wanted to explore the elements that empower a man.
It’s definitely the confidence, the freedom and desire to express himself without hesitation.”
–Donatella Versace–

Author Profile

Helen Siwak, Luxury Lifestyle Observer: Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Marketing & Communications Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine, PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine, and digital women's lifestyle magazine EcoLuxLifestyle.co. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Post-pandemic, she has worked with many small to mid-sized plant-based/vegan brands to build their digital foundations and strategize content creation and business development. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at helen@ecoluxluv.com.