Exte Fall 2003 Milan Womenswear Show

Exte, a hard-to-define label owned by one of the Italy's most powerful fashion style conglomerates, IT Holding, has gone through more designers, stylists and consultants than a Harvey Weinstein film project enjoys rewrites.

And, judging from the collection shown Friday in Milan, the house's future is -- as they say in Hollywood -- still in development.

The latest script, or rather style, doctor Exte has called in is Sergio Ciucci.

The designer couldn't be faulted for effort in the collection he presented today, the second he has designed for the house.

But for effect, that was an entirely different matter.

Ciucci is the latest in a long line of designers who want to inherit the mantle of Gianni Versace, whose sense of color, knack for mixing rock 'n roll with couture, and sheer ability to cut sexy looks has never been equaled.

Ciucci did manage to create a few striking big-haired sexy vamp looks -- Photoshop flower dresses and a silk gown with swirling squiggles on Frankie Rayder looked fairly sassy.

But these were just a few positives in a collection that had already lost its way when one sweater dress shed practically a ball of wool on its trip down the catwalk.

One could sense the lovely Mini Anden almost about to cry when she appeared in a truly awful black sweater, covered in weird golden Popsicles.

A series of hot pants and biker jackets festooned with a thousand rings, pink patent leather boots, and chopped up gold leather jackets were also deeply unflattering.

The collection looked like it might just about work in a remake of "Showgirls," an unlikely prospect given that the original lost a bundle.

In short, glitzy clothes in which to go nowhere.