Donatella Versace stunned in a fitted pink gown as she attended a dazzling royal dinner to promote Anglo-Italian relations in Gloucester last night.
The 69-year-old designer joined high-profile guests including actor Stanley Tucci and the Beckhams at the event, which was designed to mark King Charles and Queen Camilla’s forthcoming State Visits to the Holy See and the Republic of Italy in early April, which were announced last week.
Donatella, who was on the guest list thanks to her contributions to Italian culture – including philanthropy and the arts, as well as fashion – wore an Atelier Versace column gown, which took a staggering 500 hours to hand-craft and was decorated with 1,500 crystals.
The designer has helmed the fashion house since the tragic murder of its founder, her brother Gianni Versace, in 1997.
Her full-length gown, with long sleeves boasted a tight fit, showed off her tiny waist. According to PEOPLE magazine, the frock featured the fashion house’s signature bustier silhouette, crafted with ‘a series of boning’ to make a ‘second skin’ figure-hugging fit.
The frock was made from more than 40metres of silk chiffon woven in the Como region of Italy, which is known for its history of silk making. With the level of detail and craftsmanship, the rose gown took five Atelier artisans more than 500 hours to complete.
She completed her look with a pair of statement earrings boasting pink gemstones, a natural make-up look with a fresh base, light smokey eye, and pink lip. Her blonde tresses were worn loose, tumbling past her shoulders.
Donatella’s chic appearance at the event did not mark the first time she has been complimented for her stylish look.
Donatella Versace is pictured at the lavish royal dinner in Highgrove wearing a striking pink custom gown which was made for the occasion
In December last year, she debuted a brand new look while posing for pictures at the The Devil Wears Prada musical launch in London, joined by friend Sir Elton John (who wrote the music for the show, which is based on the 2006 dramatic comedy originally starring Anne Hathaway) and Anna Wintour, who the play is thought to be about, and actress Vanessa Williams.
The Italian fashion designer stunned on the red carpet in a sheer, heavily-embellished bronze mini dress with a black sweetheart neckline bodysuit underneath, paired her sheer dress with knee-high brown leather platform boots.
She also wore a red AIDS awareness ribbon to pay homage to the Elton Johns Aids Foundation, which the gala benefited.
Donatella shared snaps from the big night out on Instagram with the caption, ‘R.S.V.P. YES The Devil Wears Prada for its Opening Gala Night,’ calling the show ‘mesmerizing’ and praising her friend Elton for his work on it.
In the second slide, Donatella looked younger than ever, causing fans to comment in shock, with one calling her new look ‘the biggest upgrade in history.’
Many people on X, formerly Twitter, compared the luxury designer’s youthful visage to Lindsay Lohan’s stunning looks, as the Mean Girls star also underwent a major beauty transformation recently.
One asked, ‘Did you find the Lindsay Lohan’s doc, Donatella?’
Another pointed out it was ‘Donatella new face.’
The Versace Atelier gown featured 500 crystals and took more than 500 hours to make, with five people working on it
‘People, someone needs to find out who this doctor in Hollywood is who is performing these miracles,’ one follower proclaimed.
‘I’m sure it’s the same doctor as Lindsay, Demi and Brad,’ another commenter said.
The second snap she quickly went viral on X as the fan account Pop Crave tweeted, ‘Donatella Versace debuts new look at opening night of the Devil Wears Prada Musical.’
One user announced, ‘This is shocking not gonna lie.’
‘The plastic surgeon who’s doing these faces is probably one of the best out there…TOP TIER WORK!! He’s in NY & not even trying to be known,’ one person mused.
Last night’s event, which was held to promote Anglo-Italian relations also celebrated the best of sustainable ‘Slow Food and Slow Fashion’, boating a glorious home-grown menu showcasing the best of British produce, with a touch of Italian flair.
A reception was held from 7pm in a marquee in the gardens with canapés including Rare & Pasture ‘Salumi’, Tuscan style Paté and Coppa, Yorkshire Pecorino cheese Puffs and British vegetables Caponata, washed down with the King’s own Highgrove Sparkling Wine.
At the dinner, Mr Tucci paid tribute to the King’s Foundation, which he said promotes the royal’s vision of ‘living in harmony with nature’.
The famed designer, who took over the fashion house in 1997 following the tragic murder of its founder, her brother Gianni Versace, has impressed with her chic looks recently (pictured at Highgrove on Friday)
Donatella Versace, 69, impressed in her stylish full-length gown as she attended a royal event aimed at promoting Anglo-Italian relations
He described how students excelled in slow fashion and slow food, which he described as ‘two of my obsessions’.
Mr Tucci also spoke about the importance of sharing food, which he described as a ‘restorative, connective act’.
The dinner itself took place in the estate’s purpose-built entertaining centre, the Orchard Room, and boasted a traditional Italian-style four course meal.
The evening’s menu was designed by world-renowned Chef, Francesco Mazzei and inspired by Stanley Tucci, host of Tucci – The Heart of Italy.
Created using entirely British ingredients blended with Italian culinary traditions and local flavours, the menu aimed to fully embody the principles of ‘Slow Food’.
Drinks for the evening were created by internationally recognised Italian mixologist Alessandro Palazzi using Italian flavours and herbs foraged from Charles’ beloved Highgrove Gardens.
Guests enjoyed a starter of Scottish Crab Panzanella, washed down with Gavi dei Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023.
The ‘primi’ course (traditionally pasta) was Westcombe Highland Ricotta and Highgrove fine Herbs Ravioli with Isle of Wight Tomato passata with a glass of Gavi dei Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023.
The 69-year-old paired her stunning frock with a natural make-up look, featuring a paired back smokey eye, and natural base
The much-lauded designer’s appearance followed an outing last December, where fans were impressed with her stunning appearance
STRIKE A POSE: Donatella Versace showed off her almost impossibly tiny waistline as she posed for snaps at the royal event
Diners were then treated to a ‘secondi’ course (traditionally meat): Suffolk Red Porchetta, Pumpkin and Sage mash and Tuscan kale with a nice Barbaresco Gaja 2021.
For desert there was Zuppa Inglese and Biscotti with Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato.
The Slow Food movement was founded in Italy in 1986 as a fight back against the rise of fast food. It promotes the use of local, seasonal cuisine through the consumption of regional plants, seeds and livestock.
Now established in more than 160 countries globally, off-shoots include the Slow Fashion movement which encourages consumers to purchase fewer, higher-quality items that last longer.
Their fashion industry, while hugely profitable, is one of the biggest polluters on the planet.
Their Majesties joined guests at the reception where students and graduates from The King’s Foundation training programmes will provide demonstrations on their work in sustainable fashion and traditional heritage skills, such as, millinery, embroidery, furniture making and fashion design.
The King, who has long had a passion for heritage crafts, set up his foundation in 1990 and it currently offers courses for more than 15,000 students as year and boasts partnerships with CHANEL, YOOX Net a Porter and The Snowdon School of Furniture.
Others guests included pioneers and representatives of the Slow Food and Fashion movements.
At dinner the King was seated next to the Italian ambassador and Felicity Blunt, the wife of Stanley Tucci and sister of Emily Blunt, while the Queen was next to Mr Tucci.
The stunning tables for around 80 guests were laden with fresh seasonal flowers and napkins rings made by student milliners on King’s Foundation courses.
Chef Francesco Mazzei said he had poured heart and soul into the menu, travelling the length and breadth of the UK sourcing ingredients.
The timeless designer joined a host of other high-profile guests at the event, including the Beckhams and Stanley Tucci among others
As well as boasting more than 1,500 crystals, the frock was made from more than 40metres of silk chiffon
He said: ‘This is my first time cooking for the King. I’m quite excited about that. It is an Italian menu with British produce, well 99 per cent as the extra virgin olive oil is Italian.
‘I was in Devon two weeks ago to get the salumi. I went to see the pigs where the belly comes from.
‘The tomatoes for the passata are from the Isle of Wight. The cob nuts for the biscotti are from Kent.
‘I am really happy to be able to create this menu. If they enjoy it – I don’t know – but I tried my best.
‘I made a report of where I had been, so it is all there and documented. I sent this to the royal chef and said “make sure the King sees this”.’
