"This show is dedicated to our brother Gianni's love of work and to our entire staff whose incredible love and devotion were so precious to him and mean so much to us. We thank each and every one of them." Following these words projected on to a curtain, the last collection of clothes designed by Gianni Versace was unveiled in Milan yesterday evening.
It was an indisputably emotional occasion. The designer, murdered outside his house in Miami last July, had a devoted following on the celebrity circuit and many of its members duly turned up to pay their respects.
Front row seats were provided for Demi Moore, Cher, Sting's wife Trudy Styler, Rupert Everett, Peter Gabriel and Boy George, who created the show's soundtrack. This included an exclusive preview of Candy Perfume Girl from next year's album by long-time Versace admirer Madonna.
She did not appear.
Donna Karan flew over from New York, Karl Lagerfeld from Paris. Milanbased designers at the show included the man often considered Versace's main rival, Giorgio Armani, as well as Miuccia Prada, Romeo Gigli, Grizia and members of the Fendi and Missoni families.
The show took place in a covered courtyard of the Versace palazzo on Milan's Via Jesu. At times it was hard to imagine the designer was dead, particularly once models started to step out.
They were dressed in clothes that had all the overt sensuality and dramatic flair with which Versace was traditionally associated. Even seemingly demure day pieces provided unexpected exposure of flesh.
A respectable mid-grey halterneck dress to the knee proved to be entirely backless except for two crossing straps, while a pair of bootleg pants carried wide slashes in the fabric on either hip.
Evening wear was, as ever with Versace, particularly provocative, thanks to liquid silver chain dresses with drape necklines and - once again - no backs, pale salmon georgette sheaths covered in beaded daisies, and diamante star bursts over a black halterneck bias-cut shift.
When it was finally all over, the models filed out led by Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to form what looked like a guard of honour. There was a standing ovation as the late designer's sister, Donatella Ver sace, wearing a simple black knee-length dress, emerged from backstage. She took a few steps forward to acknowledge the applause and then abruptly turned away, clearly in tears.