Most Wanted

Pop quiz: name three things associated with Versace. If Elizabeth Hurley’s infamous safety-pin dress, slick black leather, and ‘mob wife’ jewels immediately spring to mind, you have passed the test with flying colors. This season, however, Donatella Versace is on a mission to breathe freshness into her SS24 collection with new (but equally enduring) house icons that fall firmly into the category of wardrobe essentials – starting with the perfect tailored blazer.

“Tailoring is a staple in my wardrobe, and nothing is chicer than a tweed blazer,” reveals NET-A-PORTER’s shopping assistant Connie Parkinson. Shoppable with exclusive access for a limited time on NET-A-PORTER, Versace’s double-breasted blazer was modeled on the SS24 runway in Italy, where it first caught Parkinson’s eye. “The cut and craftsmanship stood out on the day, along with the timelessness of the blazer’s black-and-white tweed,” she says.

While Donatella always kept her vision of the modern Versace woman in mind for spring/summer ’24, she couldn’t resist indulging in a dose of ’90s nostalgia and referenced Gianni Versace’s fall/winter ’95 show as the starting point for the collection – even sending Claudia Schiffer down the runway to mirror her brother’s presentation. It wasn’t Schiffer but fellow supermodel Kendall Jenner who kicked off proceedings during Milan Fashion Week – and she did so wearing ballet slippers, marking the first time the Italian label has ever opened with flat shoes. The reason? Donatella wanted her models to feel free, joyful, and contemporary.

Take your cue from Jenner with Gianvito Rossi’s ‘Borneo’ Mary Jane ballet flats, or follow Parkinson’s advice and copy the blazer’s exact runway pairings. “I would wear it with baggy jeans and kitten heels, as it was styled in Milan,” she shares. If nothing can tear you away from your beloved high heels, give another nod to Versace’s legendary founder with some sharp and shiny slingbacks that are named after him. The ‘Gianni’ pumps are made from patent leather and have a classic pointy shape with pretty bows and signature ‘Medusa’ hardware.

Once you have decided on the right shoes, look to denim brand Agolde for a great pair of slouchy blue jeans to go with this look and so many others. Exclusively available at NET-A-PORTER, the ‘Puddle’ style is cut in the low-rise silhouette that’s trending in a big way right now and comes in a versatile mid-blue wash. Team them with a beautifully made white cotton-jersey tee by The Row before turning to another Italian powerhouse for a bag: Gucci. Paying tribute to the style Jackie Kennedy was so fond of in the ’60s, the black ‘Jackie’ shoulder bag is a modern take on the accessory that the former First Lady often teamed with tailored jackets, fitted pants and black sunglasses. Toteme has a cool square-framed pair of the latter.

Finally, finish off your look with polished silver jewelry. Named as one of our five new brands to know for SS24, Agmes’ ‘Bubble’ hoops are the earrings you need. Handmade in New York from recycled sterling silver, they are part of a collaboration with Brooklyn-based artist and sculptor Simone Bodmer-Turner and have a wavy, abstract shape.

Browse more in this week’s New In.