Friday in Milan: Versace and Elisabetta Franchi

Donatella Versace presented a striking new collection inside a medieval castle, seemingly little altered by her company's proposed merger, while Elisabetta Franchi gained momentum in her latest show.

Versace: Sforzesco and roll

It was nice to see Donatella Versace doing what Versace has always been about. That was what happened on Friday night at a fast-paced, dynamic show inside Milan's sprawling historic nerve center, the Castello Sforzesco.

And she did it with real supermodels, who, in a reflection of how bad business is, have not been in New York, London or Milan very often. Not at Versace, where Gigi Hadid was the star of a gorgeous floral dress in shades of beige and eggshell blue with a scalloped neckline.

The California supermodel walked with a firm step down the elaborate X-shaped catwalk inside the giant medieval castle. Like most of the cast, Gigi stood even taller in her sky-high heels.

Following on from the Italian catwalk was Vittoria Ceretti, in a gold metallic mesh skirt topped by a khaki military shirt. Ceretti, who is currently dating actor Leonardo DiCaprio, looked like a girl who was in the middle of the night's action and had everything under control.

Before Iris Law, sporting bleached white hair. The 23-year-old daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, cheerful in a summery dress with a violet-spotted floral print. And even taller in a new mega platform in a striking bitter orange. A mixed, elegant collection, full of colour and energy that suggested Donatella was in a very good mood.

Like virtually all Milanese brands, Versace had around twenty Asian stars: K-pop elves, Thai toy boys and obscure Chinese actresses whose films will never be shown in the West. But the Medusa-headed house of Versace has always loved a British aristocrat.

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This time, in the front row was Lady Amelia Spencer in a leather corset dress. Joining Princess Diana's niece were Lady Eliza Spencer, Channing Tatum, Normani and Italian rapper Fedez, the ex of troubled Italian blogger Chiara Ferragni. Looking, frankly, ridiculous, as he continued to pull his golden Labrador wrapped in a silk Versace scarf.

To up the energy, Donatella hired sound architect Frederic Sanchez, who responded with an energetic soundtrack that combined Alok & Severin’s grandiose “Symphonia” with the funk rock of Idles & LCD Soundsystem’s “Dancer.” Dressed in bright red cocktails and gigantic platform boots, Donatella took a bow in a corner of the spacious courtyard with a long bow.

The show comes amid a financial merger between two groups, Tapestry and Capri, the latter owner of Versace, which has been the subject of an antitrust lawsuit by the US government. Asked about the suit, Versace chief executive Emmanuel Gintzburger replied diplomatically: “Oh, you know,” he said, running his fingers across his mouth to indicate he would not comment.

The castle, the former seat of power of the Visconti dukes of Milan, was the ideal setting for a seductive, sensual and vampy collection, which placed Versace light years away from the quiet luxury and archive-based vision of most of the houses in the area. Indeed, of all the great Milanese fashion houses, Donatella presented the freshest approach, the least constrained by the past. The merger craze has apparently not affected her.

Elisabetta Franchi: Frankly, this is working well.

Some say that Italy's best chefs are from Bologna. It turns out that they also have a good designer, Elisabetta Franchi, who impressed on Friday evening with a bold and sexy collection, almost entirely in black and white.

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Franchi has been floundering for years, but has recently gained momentum following the acquisition of a 23% stake in its business by former Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri. With new investment and management, Franchi looks set to grow. This sleek, sexy collection suggests that it will.

Elisabetta designed a spectacular jacket, especially her masculine blazers, finished with small bows. She then paired them with a pair of tights and suspenders, or at most with a silk minidress. She drapes with ease, combining languid silk dresses and soft suits with shawl collars and twisted skirts.

It was a show with some hits and some misses that needed a tighter edit and less armor on the men's shirt looks. But when it found the right atmosphere, it looked flattering and fresh. Especially her silk jersey cocktail dresses with halternecks, helped by the perfect accessories: gold bracelets, chokers with mini padlocks and elegant and sturdy charms.

Sitting somewhere between a daring Milanese number 21 and a sexy Dolce & Gabbana widow, Elisabetta Franchi has a clear understanding of her own DNA.

The next project will be the opening of a new boutique in Bal Harbor, Florida, in November, and more stores are planned to open in the United States. The future looks bright for Franchi.