Versace for H&M - fit for cougars

Yesterday H&M stores all over the world opened their doors to crazed fashion fanatics who'd lined up friday afternoon to get a piece of the new Versace for H&M collection. At 8 a.m. on Saturday morning the hordes moved in and stripped the racks to the bone. By 12:30 p.m. there was nothing left.

H&M on St. Catherine street in Montreal
montrealgazette.com

H&M on Regent street in London
guardian.co.uk

The highly anticipated Versace collection is made up of the Italian fashion house's signature pieces of the 80s and 90s with a modern twist. Equipped with the classics - gold medusa head, the Greco Roman pattern in embossed gold studs, and loud colourful patterns - the 43-piece collection is Versace's attempt to attract an entirely new generation. The old staples are mixed in with some of the new spring/summer 2012 ideas such as bright neon colours, animal prints, leather and studs, and wallpaper print (unfortunately they decided to go with a Miami Beach print rather than something that would keep you from vomiting like a floral or baroque). 

Versace- busy patterns
fashiondevelopmentgroup.com

Miami Beach print in neon- a la wallpaper
torontostreetfashion.com

leather shift dress with gold studs
flare.com

leather, studs, and Miami Beach
torontostreetfashion.com

Versace brights
torontostreetfashion.com

The key pieces of the collection are shift dresses in black leather, or bright colours like yellow, pink, and red, all of which were studded-out in gold. While the collection's objective is to attract the younger generation of fashionistas, most of whom missed out on Versace's hay day in the early 90s due to the fact they had yet to be born, the loudness and tackiness of the over- the-top gold ornaments leaves the collection looking old. When I look at the collection I don't see a new generation of Versace fans, I see 50 + year-old Italian woman with bleached blond hair, botox, lip injections, etc, who want to feel young again (*COUGH* DONATELLA VERSACE).

Donatella Versace the queen cougar
dailymail.co.uk

the cougar belt
torontostreetfashion.com

In my opinion the only good Versace is vintage Versace. That is all. If Versace wants to survive it needs to evolve and drop it's tacky Italian cougar dresses and gold bling and do something new and young. You can do it Donatella! Think of the children!

To view the full collection in all its jungle-fever-cougar-bling glory visit: http://www.hm.com/ca/versace#home