Glitz, glamour and Versace

Local H&M stores will unveil the highly anticipated Versace collection tomorrow, and the excitement building around the launch is infectious. Most dresses will fall in the $150 to $300 dollar range and shoes will most likely be under $130. According to Donatella Versace, this line is intended to serve as an antidote to the floundering economy.

The clothes debuted last Tuesday night at the historic Pier 57 fashion show, and it captivated the attention of a star-studded crowd, which included celebrities like Jessica Alba, Blake Lively and Nicki Minaj. The show itself lived up to Versace's standards of glitz and glamour. Featuring an iconic metallic disco dress, a studded leather bomber jacket for women plus a hot pink suit and a palm tree second skin shirt for men, the show was quite the spectacle. The entire collection is embellished with sequins, studs leather and lace, on top of tons and tons of razzle-dazzle. It will feature 40 clothing pieces and 20 accessories, including a classic black dress with Grecian gold buttons, a floor-length goddess gown with a boned bodice as well as sequin dresses in signature Versace prints.

When Versace announced its plans to design for H&M, it marked the elite Italian brand's latest transformation. In 2008, Versace, who is routinely worn by pop-sensation Lady Gaga, claimed that designing a less expensive, more consumer friendly line was not for Versace and her company, so this new alliance with H&M came to many as a shock. But now Versace will join the long line of big names, including Stella McCartney, Robert Cavalli and Jimmy Choo, who have designed limited edition collections for H&M.

The new Versace line is here to make a statement. Tropical floral patterns were splashed on tight leggings and tunic tops. Pastel pink dresses were completed with a beaded fringe. At the fashion show, many models wore hot pink strappy heels and carried printed handbags with the Versace logo. Most of the clothes are less expensive adaptations of signature Versace pieces, like zebra print pants and exotically patterned dresses.

Most shoppers want to dress up and look chic. Consumers follow music, fashion and pop culture, and their clothes should reflect that culture. Versace's new line has the potential to be the perfect fit for young shoppers who are searching for top tier designer pieces that are trendy, yet inexpensive.

The US will release the collection on November 19th in select stores. Prices range from $25 to $300.