For Versace, this is understated

MILAN (AP) — Versace wouldn't be Versace without the flamboyance.

But Donatella Versace understated it just a bit for next summer's look, presented on Friday, the third day of Milan Fashion Week previews for next summer.

Dresses were straight-fitting, instead of body-hugging. Pants were just a tad looser fit. Jewelry punctuated looks with a period, not an exclamation point.

"I think it is very wearable as a line, not to tight, very easy," Donatella Versace said backstage after the show.

That does not mean the Versace woman won't be showing skin.

There were midriffs left bare or revealed under sheer panels. And why stop at a slit on long skirts, when you can square cut? For bling, colorful cocktail dresses were sprinkled with shimmering Swarovski crystals. Plexi-glass high heels were of requisite Versace.

Versace made the familiar Greek border logo very graphic, often in a maxi dimension to incorporate into the composition of the garment, an element that complemented the clean lines and strong colors of the collection. The graphic feel was echoed in the mesh that gave some of the looks a sporty feel.

And Donatella demonstrated just how well she knows women: Handbags featured external pockets for telephones, lipsticks and a pen. Fumble-proof.