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The Italian fashion house whose founder, Gianni Versace, is reputed to have said he designed clothes for tarts, turned out a spring/summer 2001 collection on Friday that emphasized sophistication rather than cleavage.

Versace remains the undisputed master of the show-stopping sexy gown -- like the plunging bamboo-print chiffon number worn by Jennifer Lopez at the Grammy awards.

But creative director Donatella Versace, who stepped into her brother Gianni's shoes after his 1997 murder, is evolving the house's style towards a new, more sophisticated elegance that buyers say is going over well with customers.

So full-length evening gowns in soft silk jersey came high-necked and long sleeved, but with scooped-out backs and deep rear slits. Seductive drapery clung to the body and outlined its curves, emphasizing the waist with thick, almost corset-like belts.

Donatella also created sharp, sexy suits for daytime in draped jersey or sleek leather, tightly belted and with large shoulders.

Singer and actress Courtney Love, a dedicated Versace fan, seemed to approve when she gave the collection a standing ovation

Earlier Friday, as Milan's fashion week drew to a close, buyers and journalists crammed into the first Pucci show since the tiny Florence-based house was bought by French luxury goods group LVMH.

Pucci's trademark swirling prints have been enjoying a revival in the past few seasons as fashion takes its cue from the 1970s. But with just three stores worldwide, the brand was destined to remain a niche player.

Now that the house enjoys the support of deep-pocketed LVMH, Pucci is concentrating on beefing up its distribution by opening new shops in Milan, which it did last week, and in Saint Moritz and Palm Beach, planned for next year.

At Friday's show, Pucci prints were blown up and spread out, or toned down into shades of gray. They also appeared as patterns in lace, or black-on-black woven into fabric.

Also on Friday, Prada's Miu Miu line aimed at younger customers picked up on the anti-luxury "uniform" theme of the main collection presented on Monday.

The full skirts, button-down shirts and shorts with big, bunch pockets were so toned down that only the most up-to-the-moment customer would be aware that these clothes came from Prada and not a corner shop -- the ultimate in elitism.

On Thursday, Italy's most flamboyant design duo Dolce & Gabbana showed a spring/summer 2001 collection sprinkled with Western cowboy references as well as a wink and a nod to the 1980s.

The show began with a couple of long, lean knock-out femme fatale daytime suits in black or white, with a thigh-length wrap jacket tying at the hip, worn over push-up bras that (naturally) peeped up from above a plunging neckline.

Little satin jackets loaded with shoulder pads were paired with ripped up, safety-pinned jeans (spot the punk influence) strewn with rhinestones.

Next season's sexy Dolce & Gabbana dress is a tight black backless number with Azzedine Alaia-style straps criss-crossing the back, worn over a Dolce & Gabbana trademark bra in a color like pale tangerine. There were also skin-tight black dresses with laces running down the sides or back, corset-style.

Western-style soft leather "chaps" over jeans were loaded down with fake gems, sequins and beading, winking in the light. The Western theme carried through to belts, which were slung low on the hips and looked like a gun holster.

The collection took a spin through the 1980s in the form of leggings (covered in glittering embroidery) paired with T-shirts emblazoned with photos of the pop star Madonna -- an early Dolce & Gabbana fan and personal friend.

Gianfranco Ferre turned out a masterful collection inspired by the geometric, pure shapes of African art and jewelry that was a perfect fit with Ferre's architectural, almost sculptural design sensibility.

"The collection is a journey through the magic of Africa," he said backstage before the show. "Africa is a place I had never visited before because I was always taken by India, but it's a continent full of magic and energy. We have to watch it."

In Ferre's hands, a suit of "rough" burlap had a "frayed" hem, animal and geometric prints were blown up and deconstructed until almost unrecognizable, and sheer chiffon was cut into little strips to look like straw trimming a skirt or a shawl.

Snakeskin, which Ferre uses in nearly every collection, was cut into skirts with long "savage" fringe running the entire length of the leg. Jewelry was incorporated into clothing as the neck coils and familiar Masai disc-like necklaces were reworked into embroidery and ornamentation. An oversized necklace, on the other hand, became a stunning minidress when worn with defiant nonchalance by supermodel Naomi Campbell.

Hugo Boss' move into women's wear has been planned with military precision for more than two years, and the company pulled out all the stops with a glittering party on Thursday night for celebrity guests including Natassja Kinski, Bianca Jagger and Dennis Hopper.

"The collection is about traditional mens' tailoring that has been re-proportioned and re-cut for a woman," said German-born designer Grit Seymour backstage. "It's for a working woman who has a bit of fun as well."