No One Throws a Party Like Donatella
Photo: Courtesy of Versace
When I walked into the entranceway of a Bel Air mansion perched high above the city, I saw journalist Zanna Roberts Rassi getting settled (after the winding golf-cart ride up from the bottom of the hill) and actress January Jones walking in with her sister, both smiling, soon after. Then I saw actor Channing Tatum weaving through the room shaking hands and taking pictures, athlete Odell Beckham Jr. staying warm by the outdoor fire, and actress Sheryl Lee Ralph holding court close to where producer Clara McGregor chatted with friends. Only one person could have brought together this mosaic of people … and that’s Donatella Versace.
“Versace Icons,” as conceived by Donatella, is an event series that brings together friends of the brand to showcase its aesthetic and values and have some fun. Grammy winner Coco Jones performed a three-song set on the estate’s sweeping balcony; in a twist of cosmic fate, her rendition of SWV’s 1998 song “Rain” had the perfect backdrop of a stormy post-rain sky, clear enough to see a view of the city and quiet enough to hear her soulful vocals penetrate the air.
This was the third installment of a string of Versace Icons events (hosted in collaboration with Alison Loehnis and Net-a-Porter), which included dinners in New York and Shanghai co-hosted by Donatella Versace and womenswear-collection campaign stars Anne Hathaway and Chris Lee, respectively.
We asked attendees — who were exclusively photographed in a sleek corner of the party — a question related to their inner lives and careers. The night’s eponymous icon, Versace herself, spoke about how the industry has changed for the better and her pride about the number of women in leadership positions at Versace.
How do you think the industry has changed for women? I am very proud that we have so many women in leadership positions at Versace. There is more of a...
How do you think the industry has changed for women? I am very proud that we have so many women in leadership positions at Versace. There is more of an understanding and appreciation in the industry of the power of female voices and intuition. I have learned to really trust my instincts and bring that to everything I do. - Donatella Versace, designer Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? I want t...
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? I want to be an iconic, change-making assassin for the greater good, an action character. I want to show how powerful women are physically, mentally, and emotionally and the range in that. Going from model to being in my body and using my beauty on a different level — I can't wait for the opportunity to do that. - Precious Lee, model Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. One time, there was a woman on set who could re...
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. One time, there was a woman on set who could read my energy and tell that I was uncomfortable, and she spoke up for me and had them change the lighting. Then the next time I did something with this project, I had a different glam team that understood my complexion more. She did that for me behind the scenes. - Coco Jones, artist Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? I would ...
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? I would love the chance to play a no-bullshit, fabulous, independent woman maybe in her 40s. I don’t know, there's something about it; I’m looking forward to the decade of my 40s. I just feel like a lot of the people I look up to, especially in film, are probably in that age group. And I feel like you figure yourself out around then. - Ivy Getty Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. Working with my sister and mom in a family busi...
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. Working with my sister and mom in a family business, I would not be able to do it without them. Having feminine energy around makes me so comfortable to be who I want to be, say what I want to say, and do everything to my fullest, and I know I have their full support and power. - Sydney Carlson, entrepreneur Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? At my ag...
What type of woman or female character or archetype would you like the chance to play in a project you haven’t had the opportunity to do yet? At my age and what I’ve played, you get a lot of offers for the quote-unquote mom, and she's often very one-note. As a mother myself, I feel moms are the most strong and interesting and badass characters you can play, so I would like to have more roles like a James Bond who’s a mom. Mission: Impossible, but she's juggling a domestic life as well. Because that's what we all do daily; we’re trying to juggle having a career and a social life and making sure our kids are happy and well rounded — it takes a lot. - January Jones, actress Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. I work at the Academy Museum, where we tell a l...
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. I work at the Academy Museum, where we tell a lot of stories about people who work behind the scenes in film, and when I met Hannah Beachler, who won the Oscar for creating Wakanda as the production designer for Black Panther, that's when I realized how a woman’s vision — the creativity, the deep research, the care for every detail — could be so impactful in Hollywood, in ways most fans may not know. - Jacqueline Stewart, Director of the Academy Museum Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you had to advocate for yourself while working on set. I work behind the camera, and it's a very important job. I always advocate...
Tell me about a time you had to advocate for yourself while working on set. I work behind the camera, and it's a very important job. I always advocate for myself; it's something we never talk about, it just is. And I think that is far more prevalent now than it has ever been. I just stand there and say, "This is it. This is what we’re creating. This is what we’re collaborating on to bring to a larger audience." And there's never been a problem — ever, ever. But I think it's only because you walk into your power, you don't intimidate, you just are the essence of perfection and power. - Ellen Mirojnick, costume designer Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
How do you think the industry has changed for women? There has been a lot of progress in Hollywood for women. We’re definitely not anywhere near perfe...
How do you think the industry has changed for women? There has been a lot of progress in Hollywood for women. We’re definitely not anywhere near perfection, and there's a lot of work to do in many realms, but I think there's been a huge amount of progress. We’re having a lot more films directed and written by women, shot and edited by women, than we ever have. And female narratives are starting to shine through, and we’re really starting to pay attention to them. - Clara McGregor, Producer and star of "Bleeding Love" Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you had to advocate for yourself while working on set? I did a spread with my sisters, and when I saw the photos afterward, they ...
Tell me about a time you had to advocate for yourself while working on set? I did a spread with my sisters, and when I saw the photos afterward, they had completely retouched my face — not just taking a blemish or wrinkles out, they had completely changed the structure of my face. I was really upset because, as someone who’s struggled at different times with people judging how I look or even my insecurities growing up as a kid, I just felt like, Oh wow, my worst fear. And when I called them out for it, they blamed it on a camera lens and said it was a fish-eye lens. We need to accept how people look and appreciate their beauty, especially for young women. - Rumer Willis Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. Women who are behind the scenes are getting mor...
Tell me about a time you realized how important the women are who work behind the scenes in Hollywood. Women who are behind the scenes are getting more of their moment in the spotlight. When you think about the stylists we’re talking about today, the females leading so many brands, people we didn’t use to speak about as much — there’s more representation. Women for women is everything, and we need more of it. - Zanna Roberts Rassi Photo: Courtesy of Versace / Photographer: Hunter Abrams
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