Donatella Versace Under Fire For Refusing To Use 'Real' Women As Models

With just days to go until the official Versace for H&M unveiling, designer Donatella Versace has attracted criticism for refusing to use 'real women' in a branded photoshoot.

The designer, who appeared at a press conference recently saying she wanted to attract a much more diverse customer than usual with the cheaper line, reportedly refused to let the New York Daily News use a particular model in their 'real women in Versace for H&M shoot' – saying she did not fit the Versace brand.

View images from the Versace for H&M Launch

The comment has outraged certain industry insiders who say Versace is missing the point of collaborating with a chainstore.

"This is so typical of 99.9 per cent of designers: they only want their clothes worn by the very young and the very thin," Liz Jones from the Daily Mail sniped.

Fashionista.com added that the point of H&M is that it's supposed to be accessible in a way that designer brands like Versace are not.

A model hits the runway in a dress from the Versace for H&M collection.

"That's why H&M collaborates with designers–to give 'real girls' the chance to wear Versace and Lanvin," commented the site, which also said that on the flipside, "getting approval from a brand for a shoot is pretty standard - brands need to control their image."

Although Versace is yet to comment on the whole debacle, she said recently, "When I'm going to see young people in the street wearing these iconic (Versace for H&M) pieces it’s going to be fun."

What are your thoughts? Is Versace discriminating against real women or is she simply staying true to her brand?