Versace to Unveil Fall 2021 Collection on March 5 – WWD

The schedule of the upcoming Milan Fashion Week, running Feb. 23 to March 1, will miss another big label this season: Versace.

The house of the Medusa revealed exclusively to WWD that it will present its men’s and women’s fall 2021 collection with a coed video that will be unveiled on March 5.

A new format for Versace, the fully digital project, which is currently under development, will be filmed behind closed doors to respect COVID-19 safety measures. Versace last September hosted a live runway show at the presence of the company’s employees only, which was then streamed digitally.

According to the company, the decision to unveil the video on March 5 is due to technical reasons and does not imply any affiliation with Paris Fashion Week, which will run March 1 to 9.

“Being a digital event has its advantages. One of them is the possibility of connecting with your audience whenever you think is the right moment,” said the brand’s chief creative director Donatella Versace, discussing the potential of this format.

She also highlighted that this decision won’t affect the brand’s long-lasting relationship with the city of Milan and its fashion industry.

“The decision to present the fall 2021 collection a few days after the Milan Fashion Week doesn’t affect the fact that Versace remains a proud member of Camera della Moda and that the brand will always be a key player and a big supporter of the Italian fashion system. Fashion is an art and sometimes it has to work outside the usual path to fully blossom.”

Among the power brands that will skip Milan Fashion Week are Gucci and Bottega Veneta, which will present their fall 2021 collections with separate events in dates that still have to be disclosed. An official schedule for Milan Fashion Week is expected to be released on Thursday during the seasonal press conference hosted by the Italian Fashion Chamber. 

Its parent company Capri Holdings Ltd. released quarterly earnings on Wednesday and said Versace is demonstrating strong resilience during the pandemic, posting in the three-month period ending Dec. 26 sales of $195 million, the same as last year.