Donatella Versace unleashes 'cowboy' theme at Milan Fashion Week: 'Bikers are the new cowboys'

WE'RE not sure what's more ridiculous: Donatella Versace's line of chaps or the hilarious quote she made about cowboys and bikies.

This 'cowboy' doesn't have a horse. TOPSHOTS/AFP ...

HORSES are so, like, yesterday.

That's the mantra of fashion maven Donatella Versace after unveiling her new line of men's wear that has set tongues - and tails - wagging.

The Italian fashion house showed a cowboy-themed men's wear collection on Saturday that Donatella believes is a modern reinterpretation of the Village People's theory "that bikers are the new John Wayne".

The new collection, introduced during Milan Fashion Week for the 2014 northern autumn included sharp, tight suits decorated with rhinestone horseshoes and cactus plants on both front and back.

There were also leather pants, fur motorcycle jackets, hip-hop chains, and silk shirts with "Western Cowboy" on the back.

... And then there were chaps.

Models present creations for fashion house Versace as part of Autumn/Winter 2014 Milan Collections during the men's fashion week on January 11. AFP PHOTO ANDREAS SOLARO

This 'cowboy' doesn't have a horse. TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO/ANDREAS SOLARO

"Our cowboy is macho, he's a biker ... he doesn't have a horse," Versace said.

"I think of bikers as the new cowboys. We have no horses, so they have motorcycles. Renegades. Both are a very strong reference in Versace fashion, so I took those elements and tried to rework and make them contemporary."

Donatella @Versace's FW14 romp in the Wild West included leather chaps & bandana-print briefs. Woah. #major #MFW pic.twitter.com/G9KQVVj8Yj

— Jim Shi (@jimshi809) January 11, 2014

And here's the visual...Versace underpants and leather chaps #AW14 #versace #menswear http://t.co/cGyfd4ZQE6

— Helen Seamons (@helenseamons) January 11, 2014

The show was mostly a camp celebration of manhood in its many forms, with Versace telling The Independent, "underwear is a huge part of our business".

"I was very determined that men today are liberated. With all this oppression going on in the world, through your clothes you can be who you are, or who you want to be in the moment."

In a move that surprises no one, Versace pulls out the assless chaps for Men's runway. Because class, folks. Versace puts the ass in class

— The Numi (@OhThatNumi) January 11, 2014

The late Gianni Versace was famous for mixing cultural references, spanning from ancient Greece to Andy Warhol, into his carefully tailored work, but the cowboy theme has appeared only once before.

"Gianni did a haute couture cowboy dress once modelled by Naomi Campbell in Paris," said Donatella, his sister who took over after his death.

Giddy up.

Bootylicious much? Picture: AFP

Donatella Versace waves to the public after the Versace at Milan Fashion Week. Picture: Stefania D'Alessandro