LOS ANGELES — There was a moment during Versace’s runway show, held on the rooftop of a parking garage that had been glammed beyond recognition, as if the building itself had been Facetuned, that felt like attending service at a fashion megachurch.
The spoken words from Prince and the Revolution’s “Let’s Go Crazy” — “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today” — played over the speakers, remixed into a dramatic track that turned choral as the models walked their encore. During that encore, for about five minutes, most of the 500 or so guests stood up, some clasping their hands in front of them, like congregants showing respect. Smoldering congregants with cinched waists, smoky eyes and gold adornments head-to-toe, as is the Versace way.
It was a fitting start to the series of extravagant, expensive, enthralling days that represent the unholy marriage between Hollywood and fashion: Oscars weekend, with all of the parties and programming leading up to Sunday’s awards ceremony. It is a lucrative moment in the celebrity style economy: Every highly photographed party calls for a highly photographed party frock.
Versace, which hadn’t staged a runway show in California in 25 years, wanted to be part of that moment. It wanted to be part of the moment so badly that on Tuesday, after rain emerged in the forecast, it announced that the show would be moved from Friday night to Thursday. This kind of last-minute change is rare in a world where major fashion brands can spend well over $1 million on a 20-minute-long runway show.
In the end, the change wasn’t noticeable. The stars were convinced to rearrange their schedules. Cher still came. Elton John still came. (The best supporting actor contender Ke Huy Quan was spotted rushing over to shake his hand before the show began.) So did Miley Cyrus, who released an album later that night, and Lil Nas X, Anne Hathaway, Channing Tatum, Pamela Anderson and the Hiltons. Even Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez were…
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