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For Versace, Couture is Out and the Red Carpet is In

Citing fashion show fatigue, Versace decides to halt its couture shows and will rely on red carpet publicity instead.


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Last year belonged to creative director musical chairs and experimentations with the “see-now-buy-now” model. Twenty seventeen so far looks to be the year where more and more fashion houses look to cut back on the number of fashion shows they put on in a year. Apparently, there is such a thing as too many fashion shows.

Versace is the just the latest to cut back, but their announcement may be the most notable. The Italian fashion house will no longer show at Couture Week in Paris.

“At the moment, we do six shows a year, and my feeling is: That’s a lot of shows,” recently appointed chief executive Johnathon Akeroyd told The New York Times. “Eight, if you count couture, seems excessive. And we all know the model is changing quite a lot, so why not take the opportunity to try something new?”

The change begins immediately, meaning there will be no last hurrah at next week’s edition of couture.

Versace, which as an Italian house is a correspondent member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, has in recent years occupied the opening slot of couture week, so its absence is no small matter. (Versace did previously sit out Couture week from 2004 until it returned in 2012.)

Of course, the Versace Atelier itself isn’t cutting back. The division will still produce custom gowns for its most elite clientele. Versace will present its offering in smaller client-facing events scattered across the globe.

Bella Hadid, Carolyn Murphy Walk Atelier Versace Haute Couture

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

Photo by Isabel Martinez,

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Akeroyd isn’t worried about any loss in publicity either. He wagers that outfitting celebrities in its custom gowns for major red carpet events will make up for it. The brand recently dressed Blake Lively and Naomi Campbell at the Golden Globes and is sure to dress more stars at the Oscars.

This is one of Akeroyd’s first major moves since being installed as CEO in May (he previously spent 10 years at Alexander McQueen), but it also fits into the wider context of the fashion world at the moment.

Left and right it seems that fashion labels are cutting down on the number of shows they present. Many, like Bottega Veneta, Kenzo, Burberry, Gucci and Vivienne Westwood (to name just a few) are combining men’s and women’s shows. Others are forgoing traditional shows altogether. Misha Nonoo, for example, debuted her latest collection on Snapchat.

Then there’s the now decades-long story line of how relevant couture remains. Sure, there’s still money to make in outfitting the one percent of the one percent, but the real upside for many brands is the publicity that comes with showing the highest level of the brand’s creativity and craftsmanship.

Though he cited the “time and intensity of producing a show” as the main reason for sitting out the season, Akeroyd did leave the door open to an eventual return to the schedule, just not any time soon.

Golden Globes 2017: See What Everyone Wore on the Red Carpet

Natalie Portman in vintage Prada and Tiffany’s jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Millie Bobby Brown in Jenny Packham at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Blake Lively in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Winona Ryder in Viktor & Rolf and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Naomi Campbell in Atelier Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Drew Barrymore in Monique Lhullier and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Janelle Monae in custom Armani and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Nicole Kidman in Alexander McQueen and Fred Leighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Felicity Jones in Gucci at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Brie Larson in Rodarte and Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Emily Ratajkowski in Reem Acra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Amy Adams in Tom Ford at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sarah Paulson in Marc Jacobs at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Reese Witherspoon in Versace at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Lily Collins in Zuhair Murad at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Gaten Matarazzo at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Kerry Washington in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Jessica Chastain in Prada at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Hailee Steinfeld in Forevermark Diamonds at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Issa Rae at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Natalie Morales at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Sistine, Scarlet, and Sophie Stallone at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Ruth Negga in Louis Vuitton and Gemfields x FredLeighton jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Mandy Moore in Naeem Khan at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Evan Rachel Wood in Altuzarra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Thandie Newton in Monse and Harry Winston jewelry at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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Priyanka Chopra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards.

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 08: 74th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS — Pictured: Actress/producer Viola Davis arrives to the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 8, 2017. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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