From Crucifixes to Fishnet Boots: Versace’s Gothic Collection at Milan Fashion Week

(2012) From Crucifixes to Fishnet Boots: Versace’s Gothic Collection at Milan Fashion Week. International Business Times. 25th Feb.

Donatella Versace's runway show featuring the luxury label's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection was all about gothic glamour, cutting-edge techniques and high fashion.

With models in leather bustier dresses, Byzantine crucifixes and fishnet boots, the strong heavy metal and futuristic feel of the show intrigued as well as captivated the on-lookers.

The collection showcased at the Milan Fashion Week featured mini dresses, backless creations and coats with the colour scheme being mostly black and white. However, there were sudden splashes of vibrant shades as well like orange and yellow.

The short skirts and dresses were often paired with high-heeled boots covered with beads and crystals and paired with fishnet boots.

The collection has also been compared to Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander looks in the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."

The Wall Street Journal reported that "with the bangs on the models' haircuts and their dark-rimmed eyes, the first part of Donatella Versace's runway show looked as though she had hired a legion of taller versions of Lisbeth. Then she delved further into the character and drew out her steely inner armor, creating a final series of dresses and gowns of chain mail."

However, the collection was not merely a version of Gothic fashion often adopted by teenagers but a was a glamorous version that could make a bold statement at any red carpet by the likes of Rooney Mara, Angelina Jolie and Julia Stiles.

Discourse of the Chistian Cross

The Christian cross is a representation of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Pre-Christianity and since very early in humanity the cross is still thought to have held the discourse of religiosity due to its use to create fire, the god of fire, the god of sun. It is seen as a powerful symbol which has occurred in religion repeatedly. Today to a Christian the cross is seen as a way of remembering the love and compassion Jesus showed sacrificing himself for humanity. According to Christianity Jesus died upon a cross therefore making it quite a powerful respected symbol to that religion.

Lady Gaga Judas

This Lady Gaga video is filled with religious symbolism. In the video Gaga is portraying the role of Mary Magdalene whom was a loyal follower of Jesus. In this video Gaga represents Magdalene as more of Jesus's lover which would be heavily frowned upon by Christians as it misrepresents the bible. Although the music video could be seen as almost a biblical story, exploring the idea of how Judas the disciple betrayed Jesus and how Magdeline was stoned to death, Catholics condemned the video and Gaga for taking this religious story and retelling it in such an extreme way.
The video shows Jesus as a biker style man wearing a leather jacket and riding a motorbike, to link these two together to a catholic would be the ultimate sin due to the connotations of a biker, (living as far from a christian life as possible). However this could also be seen as trying to teach the modern generation, who are exposed to alternative lifestyles everyday, some form of biblical information.