Versace goes punk wild with homey looks

Donatella Versace is embracing her own inner Versace. After coming off a triumphant outing at the Golden Globes, she helped launch Milan Fashion Week menswear previews for next winter on Saturday on a high note.

Designer Giorgio Armani, fourth from right, poses with models wears after the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Versace dressed three women for last Sunday's awards show: Angelina Jolie, Saoirse Ronan, winner for best actress in a comedy, and star of the evening Oprah Winfrey, who wore a shape-hugging number to deliver her celebrated lifetime achievement award speech.

A model wears a creation as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Versace has been riding a wave of appreciation since her September tribute show to her slain brother, fashion house founder Gianni Versace, reunited supermodels from the 1990s while highlighting some of the new generation's top talent.

"It is the appreciation for Gianni, but maybe also a little for me," she said backstage before her show in Milan.

A model wears a creation as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Here are some highlights from the first day of Milan Fashion Week, which also included fall-winter menswear shows by Emporio Armani, newcomer Isabel Benenato, Marni and Dolce & Gabbana:

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VERSACE GOES HOME

This is about as homey as it gets in the take-it-or-leave-it ethos of Versace.

A model wears a creation as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Donatella Versace is urging aficionados to "to embrace your inner Versace" with winter menswear looks that take cues from the brand's home collection.

During her Milan Fashion Week show, pillow plaids became suit jackets worn over archival prints in seafoam green, hot pink and yellow. The effect was punk.

Models wear creations as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Crushed velvet upholstery prints in deep hues of golden, purple and red were cut into wild mid-length coats worn over a silken print shirt and a neckerchief. Burned umber puffer jackets recalled a comforter.

"These are very Versace elements, refreshed in a street key," Versace said.

Models wear creations as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

The designer punctuated the show with 11 looks for women to demonstrate, she said, "that our two souls communicate with one another." They included tassel accents on a low-back mini-dress.

Versace wasn't afraid to take things down a notch with camel overcoats. A women's version included colorful side panels that matched a headscarf and leggings.

Models wear creations as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Men's trousers were kept short to show off Versace's new tennis shoe, which features the form of a chain molded into the sole and the words "Love is blind."

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DOLCE & GABBANA'S KING OF ANGELS

It was a bling call at Dolce & Gabbana.

The designing duo of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana constructed a Baroque Sicilian church façade as the background for their "King of Angels" collection. The show opened with a tableau of young stars in formalwear, including elaborately embroidered military-style jackets and floral suits, walking beneath a pair of cherubs.

Models wear creations as part of the Emporio Armani men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

The colorful knitwear that featured cherubic putti in oval frames looked inspired by church ceilings, and angelic visages also graced motorcycle jackets.

Dolce & Gabbana, as usual, offered a range of looks — with suits styled formally, layered with furry jackets and coming pajama-inspired with robe overcoats. The designers employed light-heartedness and humor with heart-shaped backpacks, as well as one that looked like a golden puppet peeking over the wearer's shoulder.

A model waits backstage prior to the Isabel Benenato men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

The designers also emblazoned slogans such as "Time of Change" and "Love is Love" across beanies, waistbands and backsides. Nothing on the runway made the slogans' meanings explicit, although both could be interpreted as calls for new attitudes.

Colombian singer Maluma closed out the show in a glittering silver suit to match his stage presence.

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UNEXPECTED DOLCE&GABBANA

Dancers busted a move in Dolce&Gabbana active-wear at an exclusive late-night "unexpected show" for a smaller fashion crowd. While activewear has long been part of the designers' repertoire, they are putting new emphasis on the hot category.

A model wears a creation as part of the Isabel Benenato men's Fall-Winter 2018-19 collection, that was presented in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Jan.13, 2018. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Their Millennial models showed off the collection, ranging from baseball shirts emblazoned with "King of My Life," to soft bear-head hoodies, eliciting cheers and cat-calls from admiring onlookers.

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EMPORIO ARMANI'S

Arching zippers, tufts of fur and smooth velvet gave zest to Emporio Armani's youthful tailoring for next winter and fall.

While silhouettes mostly were relaxed, the palette was dark, albeit geared toward the fun end of deep with black, navy and slate giving way to mauve, other blues and shades tinged with purple.

Floral patterns and hypnotic repeating graphics complemented the flowing silhouette of open jackets and easy trousers. Swirls of color also burst forth on alpaca knitwear in soothing blues and icy greens.

Designer Giorgio Armani has forsworn using real animal fur in all his lines, winning praise from animal rights activists. The fur accents on the boots and detachable dyed collars therefore were surely faux. A series of furry black coats were rendered from curly-haired sheepskin, according to the press release, and there were only pony-effect goatskin jackets.

Zippers were deployed with frivolity across knitwear, inviting the playful to detach, or along sleeves, giving a cape-like feel when opened. Trousers were tapered, most elaborately so with a button cuff. Pants were mostly relaxed for daytime leisure and evening events, but tight for the sleek business suits worn tieless.

Velvet worked for day or evening, as casual wear in bomber jackets or elegant suits. Gloves were the accessories of the choice, but the 83-year-old Armani is not abiding the smartphone-driven trend of returning to the fingerless gloves of the 1980s. All of the designer's gloves were perfectly winter-proof.

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MOSCHINO GOES UNDERCOVER

Only Jeremy Scott would send the fashion crowd running around Milan with a videocassette tape in their bags. That was the invitation to the evening Moschino show.

Scott's collection challenged the gender conventions by being up front about sexual predilections. The suggestion is that the videotape contained something X-rated, if anyone could find a VCR to play it.

The mixed men's and woman's collection started with some deconstructed pinstripe suits, held suggestively together by suspenders or garters, but quickly devolved into an S&M, role play exploration, complete with a chauffeur in a silken white cape shirt followed by a madam in a black latex body suit. The music climaxes.

Beyond the runway props and edgy fashion statements, Scott also included pretty sheer dresses and skirts, as well as suits that suggest nothing more than business. That is if you leave home the leather props.

But even then, Scott pushed the envelope. Turn your head and look at the back of the suit, and there might be a trailing evening dress, or a panel made from a beaded women's dress: A cross-dresser's coming out fashion statement.

His final look: a Siamese twin tuxedo jacket joining androgynous models at the tails.

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NO FUR

Animal rights activists made their presence known during Milan Fashion Week, with several dozens attempting to block access to the Marni preview.

The show went on, running late as the fashion world is wont with or without protests. One fur-wearing fashionista endured a shower of verbal abuse as he ducked into the show at the last minute, but no violence was reported.

Animal rights activists have claimed victories recently, with Armani and Gucci being among the latest to commit to not using animal furs in future collections. Brands like Marni, which was born out of a family fur business, have a tougher line to tread.

Still, the runway show by Francesco Risso, in his second year, included only one obvious animal skin reference, and that was a shearling coat.

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MARNI'S TRAVEL JOURNAL

Entering the Marni showroom is to enter designer Francesco Risso's world, immediately.

Rather than conventional seating, he offered objects to sit upon. A child's stuffed giraffe. A hose-less vacuum cleaner. Stacks of disused videocassettes. Sacks of flour, whole wheat.

These are the details that fill Risso's travel journal. And the traveler's wardrobe embraces a naive, awe-struck sense of the world, with oversized jackets and trousers hand-painted with arm chairs, monkeys or musical instruments. Suits, puffer coats, nylon jumpsuits and anoraks round out the collection. Overcoats, in salmon pink, or blue, look slept in. Blankets do the same tricks. Men, spanning generations, not just youthful, wear talisman around their necks: a string of found trinkets, or a plasticized bear.

The rule, Risso said back stage, "is that there are no rules."

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ISABEL BENENATO'S ZEN

Isabel Benenato held her hands to her mouth in disbelief after her Milan runway debut. Her two young daughters, one clutching two stuffed rabbits, ran to hug her.

Benenato, 38, has nurtured her nine-year-old brand in the Tuscan city of Lucca, far from the Milan fashion epicenter -- and won the notice of the Italian Fashion Chamber, which invited her to Milan Fashion Week.

The brand's philosophy revolves around natural materials, she said backstage.

The preview menswear and womenswear collection was inspired by planets, and was fittingly elemental. The looks were layered, say, a jacket over a tunic and trousers, all loose, well-proportioned and easy to wear. Or a crisp, long white shirt over trousers. A long dress wraps and drapes.

"There is this sense of being wrapped. Of silence. Of relaxing," Benenato said.

The WNBA wears Prada.

The stars of the game wore top fashion labels Monday night that turned the draft into a mini-Oscars where style was front and center along with the picks.

Caitlin Clark. Cameron Brink. Kamilla Cardoso. Angel Reese.

They all stepped onto the stage and met the challenge essentially every woman can identify with: Overcoming the trepidation of finding just the right outfit for that special occasion.

“There’s never been a bigger spotlight on women’s basketball, thanks in large part to players like Caitlin Clark and coaches like Dawn Staley," Rose Minutaglio, ELLE senior editor of features and special projects, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

Usually, when a woman finds what she wants, it’s not a question of whether alterations are needed, but how much. The taller the woman, the bigger the challenge can be.

These tall ladies appeared to pass the test.

It was the perfect time for a fashionable splash just like NFL and NBA players do on their draft nights. Last year, Taylor Hendricks of UCF wore a pink suit with the jacket lined with photos representing his journey to the NBA and the people who meant the most to him.

“With more eyes on the league, players recognize the opportunity to showcase their personalities through their style,” Minutaglio said. "Because of glaring pay discrepancies, fashion partnerships and brand sponsorships will continue to play a big role for female athletes.”

Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks' victory over Clark and Iowa in the women’s national championship game outdrew the men in television ratings, and this is shaping up to be the WNBA's most-watched draft.

The 6-foot Clark was joined in New York by the 6-7 Cardoso, 6-4 Brink and 6-3 Reese, among others. They've been busy since the NCAA Tournament, too, especially Clark, who made a surprise appearance on “Saturday Night Live."

Clark went with a white jacket and skirt with a sparkly cut-off top, sunglasses and black heels. She credited having people help her prepare keeping it less stressful.

“The first time Prada has ever dressed a male or female for WNBA or NBA draft so pretty cool,” Clark said during the WNBA's livestream from its orange carpet.

Brink and Reese wore outfits that wouldn't be out of place during Fashion Week or a red carpet in Hollywood. Brink wore a diagonal black and white dress showing off both shoulders with a slit exposing her right leg.

Reese shimmered in a hooded, backless gray dress with a plunging neckline after a late wardrobe change with help from designers Bronx and Banco, Simon Miller and Christian Louboutin.

“I got this two days ago," Reese said. "My original dress didn’t fit.”

Rickea Jackson of Tennessee made a wardrobe change between the orange carpet and the draft itself before being selected fourth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks.

“They’re just going to be falling in love with my personality,” Jackson said of Sparks' fans.

Alissa Pili, the eighth pick by Minnesota, worked with a designer to pay tribute to her Alaska Native heritage in the black and gold pattern of her dress.

Most of these glam looks didn't come off the rack.

Being tall is an advantage and not a hindrance for WNBA players. Models who grace the runways during fashion week and the covers of fashion magazines often stand at least 6 feet and taller.

The league's own growing popularity in recent years also has helped.

"Players are also starting to work directly with designers, who help outfit them, and stylists, who focus on game-day drip,” Minutaglio wrote.

This was only the second WNBA draft with fans in attendance, and 1,000 tickets sold out in February for the event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Fans got to attend the 2016 draft at the Mohegan Sun when former UConn All-American Breanna Stewart was the top pick.

Shakira Austin, the third overall pick in 2022 by the Washington Mystics, understands the angst Clark and others faced. While the 6-5 center was playing in college at Mississippi, Austin was forced to be creative as she struggled to find pants that fit or any clothing that captured her style.

So she got busy with a sewing machine and became her own designer. Now that Austin is in the pros, she's a fashionista tapping into her creativity, doing more than just pants, leggings and shirts. Austin told the AP earlier this year that it's a great time to dive into both modeling and clothing design.

On her way to becoming the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer, Clark was surprised by designer Kristin Juszczyk, whose husband, Kyle, plays for NFC champion San Francisco in the NFL. She created a puffer vest with Clark's No. 22 in Iowa black and gold, putting the player in select company with the likes of pop superstar Taylor Swift.

Minutaglio said several brands work with female athletes, with Glossier and SKIMS teaming up with the WNBA specifically. She noted sports brands like Puma, Adidas and Nike all work with women in basketball.

“What’s interesting is we’re seeing players and teams branch out into high-fashion, wearing Dior and Louis Vuitton and Gucci,” Minutaglio said.

Staley herself was decked out on the sideline of the title game in Louis Vuitton, from her silver jacket down to her sneakers, grabbing attention for her look far beyond the sports pages. Minutaglio noted New York-based women's wear brand M.M. LaFleur has a multiyear deal with the New York Liberty.

“I wrote a story for ELLE in 2022 predicting the rise of WNBA game-day fashion, and since then, the looks just keep getting better and better,” Minutaglio wrote. "The fashion set is excited to see where it goes from here.”

AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg contributed to this report.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

CORRECTS TO CAITLIN CLARK NOT CAITLYN CLARK - Iowa's Caitlin Clark gives autographs before the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

CORRECTS TO CAITLIN CLARK NOT CAITLYN CLARK - From left to right, LSU's Angel Reese, Iowa's Caitlin Clark and Stanford's Cameron Brink pose for a photo before the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

CORRECTS TO CAITLIN CLARK NOT CAITLYN CLARK - Iowa's Caitlin Clark, right, reacts after being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LSU's Angel Reese blows a kiss after being selected seventh overall by the Chicago Sky during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Utah's Alissa Pili, right, poses for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected eighth overall by the Minnesota Lynx during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

CORRECTS TO RICKEA INSTEAD OF RICK - Tennessee's Rickea Jackson, right, poses for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected fourth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LSU's Angel Reese, right, is helped off the stage after being selected seventh overall by the Chicago Sky during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso, left, poses for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected third overall by the Chicago Sky during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Stanford's Cameron Brink, right, is escorted off the state after being selected second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Iowa's Caitlyn Clark reacts after being selected first overall by the Indiana Fever during the first round of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

UConn's Aaliyah Edwards poses for a photo before the WNBA basketball draft on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Iowa's Caitlyn Clark waves to fans before the start of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Iowa's Caitlyn Clark, center, talks with UConn head coach Geno Auriemma before the start of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Iowa's Caitlyn Clark signs autographs before the start of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LSU's Angel Reese and Iowa's Caitlyn Clark pose for a photo before the start of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

From left, LSU's Angel Reese, Iowa's Caitlyn Clark, and Stanford's Cameron Brink, pose for a photo before the start of the WNBA basketball draft, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

FILE - Louisville's Emily Engstler reacts after being selected by the Indiana Fever as the fourth overall pick in the WNBA basketball draft, April 11, 2022, in New York. Everyone likes to look good for a big night on the town. Lots of people will be watching as the WNBA’s next players turn out dressed in their finest looks for Monday night's April 15, 2024, draft. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

FILE - Georgia Tech's Sasha Goodlett, left, holds up an Indiana Fever jersey with WNBA president Laurel J. Richie after Indiana selected Goodlett as the No. 11 pick in the WNBA basketball draft in Bristol, Conn., April 16, 2012. Everyone likes to look good for a big night on the town. Lots of people will be watching as the WNBA’s next players turn out dressed in their finest looks for Monday night's April 15, 2024, draft. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

FILE - Tennessee's Rae Burrell, left, poses for a photo with commissioner Cathy Engelbert after being selected by the Los Angeles Sparks as the ninth overall pick in the WNBA basketball draft, April 11, 2022, in New York. Everyone likes to look good for a big night on the town. Lots of people will be watching as the WNBA’s next players turn out dressed in their finest looks for Monday night's April 15, 2024, draft. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

FILE - Prospective players for the 2012 WNBA basketball draft pose for a photograph at ESPN in Bristol, Conn., April 16, 2012. Everyone likes to look good for a big night on the town. Lots of people will be watching as the WNBA’s next players turn out dressed in their finest looks for Monday night's April 15, 2024, draft. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley celebrates after the Final Four college basketball championship game against Iowa in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Cleveland. South Carolina won 87-75. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

FILE - Baylor's Kalani Brown, right, poses for a photo with WNBA COO Christy Hedgpeth after being selected by the Los Angeles Sparks as the seventh overall pick in the WNBA basketball draft, April 10, 2019, in New York. Everyone likes to look good for a big night on the town. Lots of people will be watching as the WNBA’s next players turn out dressed in their finest looks for Monday night's April 15, 2024, draft. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)