Hitting the High Street, Versace on a budget: H&M's designer collaboration hit shops this week

Is your wardrobe lacking a multi-coloured sequined leopard print mini-dress with a picture of a sunset slapped across the midriff? 

Perhaps your husband is desperately in need of a quilted leather trimmed jacket with gold studs?

For the vast majority who are shaking their heads, fear not. 

There is plenty more to excite in H&M’s designer collaboration with Versace, which hits selected stores and the website next Thursday.

Left: Figure hugging black leather mini dress: £179.99. Black leather studded bag: £69.99. Suede boots: £79.99. Right: Eye-catching fuchsia silk dress: £129.99. Leather statement necklace: £29.99. Leather studded bag: £69.99

Left: Sofia Coppola's outfit of choice. Black silk dress: £79.99. Necklace: £29.99. Leather studded bag: £69.99. Right: Garish bustier-style silk skater dress: £79.99. Matching pattern leggings: £24.99. Earrings: £19.99. Ring: £19.99

Donatella Versace launched her vibrant collection for H&M in a high glamour fashion show held at Pier 57 in New York's Meatpacking District last night. Left, the metallic dress costs £129.99, right, the purple silk dress costs £79.99

The range is expected to be so sought-after that shops are planning to operate a wristband system for entry. Yesterday, we were allowed a sneak preview to see what all the fuss is about.

 

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This being Versace, ‘bling’ is high on the agenda. There is lots of gold, plenty of the brand’s iconic Greek key emblem on buttons and stitching and lots of bright prints.

Some pieces would look at home in Wham’s Club Tropicana, such as a garish blue patterned bustier-style skater dress (£79.99) with matching leggings (£24.99).

The glamorous collection bore all the hallmarks of Versace's mainline label, with bright juicy tones, metallics, studding and Versace's Greek key design featuring throughout. Left, model wears leggings, £24.99 and silk dress, £79.99. Centre, red trousers, £39.99; bustier, £69.99. Right, the fringed dress is £99.99

There’s good news for leather lovers as the range features a lot of it, from the good – a fitted black shift dress with gold studs (£179.99) – to the bad and the ugly – a pair of men’s gold studded black trousers (also £179.99). 

The most expensive is a full-length trench coat at £199.99.

Other pieces sure to have shoppers queuing from the small hours include a fuchsia silk shift dress with gold studs (£129.99) and a fitted silk black dress with slashed sleeves (£79.99), as worn by director Sofia Coppola at the launch party in New York this week. Everything is available in sizes eight to 14.

For something a little more purse friendly, accessories start at £14.99.

The show was pure Versace. H&M shoppers are certainly not getting a diluted version of Donatella's talents... Left, fringed dress, £129.99, centre, top, £39.99 skirt £69.99 and jacket £149.99; right, jacket £179.99

Donatella steps out onto the catawalk to receive her applause at the end of the show

You'd have to be adventurous to wear a top-to-toe pink suits, but Donatella says she's eager to see how H&M's fans interpret the clothes