Dua Lipa Co-designed A Cruise Collection With Donatella Versace And Brought The Fun Vacation Aesthetic To Life

Dua Lipa is steeping into the design world with her collaboration with Donatella Versace. The collection, “La Vacanza”, was co-designed by both of them and it was created for the Cruise 2024 runway show that debuted in Cannes. This collection screamed Italian glamour but a mix of theatrics and visuals was involved in it to give some extra style. 

Photo: Versace via Fashionista

Although Cannes might seem like a strange choice because there is so much going on at the moment with the Cannes Film Festival, Donatella Versace wanted it that way. She thrives on the ongoing chaos and bustle around the city. Dua Lipa was also very excited about the chosen location and said, “We wanted to do it in a place where it was the busiest time of year. We felt like the ideas behind the collection would really shine through here because it has that fun energy,”

The runway was made of acrylic and it hovered over a pool to make the model appear like they are walking on water. It is always so fun to see what designers can do with their runway because the runway itself can be an art form. 

Photo: Versace via Fashionista

Versace is a big fan of the British singer and knew she would be perfect to collaborate with for a cruise line. When the singer was first breaking into the music industry, Versace was in full support of her and sees her younger self in her with her strong determination and loyalty. She said that Dua Lipa is “Strong, gorgeous, and she knew what she wanted, with a lot of people telling her ‘wear this.’ She’s a woman that my brother [Gianni] would go crazy for strong, opinionated, and she stands up for herself.”

Photo: Versace

When the collection was first in the works, Lipa was in Tokyo drawing up some ideas she had. Once the design team had those sketches they turned them into full plans and the singer was so amazed because she said she can not draw at all. There were some elements from early Versace that were carried into this summertime collection with bright metallics, miniskirts, and cowboy boots. 

This could be seen as a reach to the younger audience with the styles that were presented down the runway. Social media presence is huge with these new generations which is how they are trying to gain a wider audience. 

Photo: Versace via Fashionista

For this collection, there was a focus on vacation aesthetics and having a good time with others at a beautiful location. Many pastels were displayed, especially pink, and they matched perfectly with the Mediterranean sunset. 

Photo: Versace via Fashionista

One of the main fabrics that was used in the collection was terry cloth, a kind of linen, and it is one of the best fabrics for summer. There were bucket hats, miniskirts, button-downs, and tank tops made from this breathable material. 

Overall the collection was very entertaining and there was so much thought behind every little decision made for the runway show. When I heard that Dua Lipa was co-designing this collection with Donatella Versace, it was something that I never thought I would hear but it was such a fun and lighthearted show line that just about everybody can enjoy.