Milan Fashion Week kicks off Wednesday in an atmosphere of gloom and doom with some 10 fewer shows in the lineup because of the global financial crisis.

While 95 fashion houses staged shows a year ago, this year’s programme has attracted only 79. A total of 93 brands showed their summer 2009 collections here last September.

Versace, the renowned fashion house, is to create the world’s first refrigerated beach so that hotel guests can walk comfortably across the sand on scorching days, reports The Australian.

The beach will be next to the the new Palazzo Versace hotel which is being built in Dubai where summer temperatures average 40C and can reach 50C. The swimming pool will be refrigerated and there are also proposals to install giant blowers to waft a gentle breeze over the beach.

The 10-storey hotel will have 213 rooms, several with their own internal swimming pools, plus 169 apartments. Fifteen more such hotels are planned.

Versace has just released a collection of tiles called Stone Palace in collaboration with the ceramic tile industry mogul Gardenia-Orchidea.

It is a eclectic collection that combines beauty with some technological features that were used to create the details in the porcelain stone.

The Palace Stone collection comes in two different surface finishes and can be used for your kitchen, in the garden, or living room.

Donatella Versace presents the ultimate luxury in gorgeous package: small leather suitcase coloured white with golden details. Gianni Versace Couture is the first fragrance which is ideal for the high class. It was created in cooperation with Euroitalia Company from Milan and its aim is to return the brand Versace on the top of luxury sector, beauty department in Italy.

“Versace has reestablished itself as a modern luxury brand,” Donatella said. “The Gianni Versace Couture fragrance project will reestablish Versace at the top of the beauty luxury sector.”

The 3.4-oz. bottle of scent is sheathed in the same leather as the train case. Both the sheath and the box bear metal plates engraved with “Gianni Versace Couture.” The amazing workmanship and made-to-order quality has been designed to evoke the era of lost glamour. The bottle is also supported inside the case by a liner that can be removed so that the leather box can function like a regular carrying case.

The new fragrance has notes of bergamot and tangerine with a floral kick from jasmine, heliotrope and almond blossom and a base that includes tonka bean, patchouli heart and sandalwood.

Distribution of Gianni Versace Couture will be exclusive, with a very exotic price of 2100 dollars per bottle. Placement on the European market is expected in November 2008. It will arrive in the USA in December and will be available in Versace boutiques worldwide.

Donatella Versace designs more than just clothing nowadays.

You can bring the luxury of Versace into your home in a new and exciting way with their Versace Home line of black and white furniture.

Simple, modern lines make this furniture line sleek, elegant and one of Donatella’s best creations.

No word on pricing yet. On request the Interior Design Service at Versace Home can also plan and oversee “tailor made” interior designer projects for private homes.

- Versace Fall 2008 ad campaign shot by famed photographer Mario Testino –

The two models are Russian knockout Natalia Vodianova and Brazilian stunner Isabeli Fontana star in the ads which feature Versace’s eye-popping new line of handbags, clothing and accessories.