The garment, part of the Atelier Versace Spring 1996 collection, was the subject of an extensive intervention at Juan Pablo Morales' conservation and restoration workshop in Córdoba. This workshop, renowned for its work on the heritage of brotherhoods, applied its expertise in restoring cloaks and tunics to this haute couture piece.
The dress, characterized by a lace bodice with hand-applied embellishments over a tulle structure and a leather skirt above the knee, showed significant deterioration. Damages included tears in the lace fabric, deformation of some appliqués, and loss of rhinestones on the original strap, which features the distinctive Versace medusa.
“"It presented tears in the lace fabric in the areas of unions and seams, as well as the deformation of some of the finishes of the appliqués, as well as losses of the rhinestones that make up the original strap with the Versace medusa."
The restoration focused on consolidating the lace fabric and reinforcing the most stressed seams. Previously, the fibers were hydrated, and the perimeter of the neckline and armholes was realigned. The process concluded with the replacement of the talc-finished zircons, thus restoring the uniformity and exclusivity of the straps. Juan Pablo Morales described this work as «a challenge I will always remember».
