WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PIETER MULIER AFTER NICOLE KIDMAN DEBUTS HIS FIRST VERSACE LOOK

words by TIANA DE HASETH

Nicole Kidman poses on the red carpet in a lace Versace lace gown during the Practically Magic 2 premiere, debuting Pieter Mulier’s first design as a creative director at the House of Versace.

When Dario Vitale became the new creative director, the significance was huge since he would be the first non-Versace family member to lead the house. Unfortunately, Vitale left after just one collection. Briefly after, Prada Group and Versace announced that Belgian designer, Pieter Mulier will become Versace's chief creative director, making him the second creative director that isn’t a Versace family member. Vitale leaving quickly, built up anticipation to see what’s next in the (second) upcoming chapter of Versace. By Mulier debuting his first look on Nicole Kidman at the Practically Magic 2 premiere, he just left us eager to know what’s to come.

images via INSTAGRAM

Given Mulier’s background in architectural design and previous roles at Alaïa, Dior, Calvin Klein, and Jil Sander, his success comes with no surprise. His past collections at Alaïa showed a deep understanding of good craftsmanship and architectural tailoring, particularly how the garments sit on the female body. These architectural experiments within silhouettes and tailoring could translate well into Versace’s signature aesthetic.

For Mulier’s first look for Versace, Kidman wore a black, sheer, floral detailed lace dress with a matching lace choker, fitting the witch-themed film and adding to the method styling. The dress flows into an asymmetric skirt with a pouf in the back. Looking quite familiar, I had to wonder: Is this dress a preview of what’s to come from Mulier? Will he draw inspiration from 1993 Atelier Fall Winter collections, revisiting Gianni Versace’s era or perhaps taking cues from Donatella’s 2000s ready-to-wear fall looks?

image courtesy of CONDÉ NAST ARCHIVE

Whether this lace dress is a teaser for Pieter Mulier’s broader vision for the new chapter of Versace, or just a custom gown for Nicole Kidman’s witch method dressing, it successfully reflects Versace’s archival pieces through Mulier’s own design and craftsmanship. If this soft launch is any indication, for his upcoming runway debut, then we can all expect a breathtaking collection and a great era for the house to come soon.