Versace Fall '16 Is Full of Surprises

Fall '16 was splashy, as always, but maybe a tad more functional than we're used to seeing from Versace. Donatella succeeded in giving guests the show they wanted — plus clothes they could really wear, with riffs on day coats and day dresses, even athleisure — and a brand-new handbag.

That doesn't mean she didn't deliver on high-octane sex appeal or the statement factor that's synonymous with the Versace brand (and anybody wearing it). The wow factor was produced in bold effect: rainbow color splattered brightly on furry coats, minidresses, and separates so bold we can think of few, aside from Anna Dello Russo, who might pull it off IRL. More striking was the muted palette, the pastel minidress and gray coat Kendall paraded down the runway, and the chic utility of dresses with zip-away hemlines that allow customers to reveal or conceal as they like. A subtler way to intrigue, as were the mod boots and the chain-strap handbags that you could easily see on the arms of Hollywood's stars and ladies who lunch. Still, it wouldn't be Versace without the glitter and a little technicolor.