CATFIGHT; Versace and Prada fashion queens in bitter war over whose clothes are sexier.

Byline: LORNA HUGHES

A CATWALK catfight has broken out after an Italian designer labelled a rival's skimpy clothes "terrifying".

Miuccia Prada, famed for her classic designs, had Donatella Versace in her sights as the two clashed over what makes a woman sexy.

Donatella, who took over her late brother Gianni's fashion empire, is famous for her revealing clothes.

But mum-of-three Miuccia said sexy women didn't have to dress like tarts and claimed they were more alluring dressed down.

In an obvious swipe at the Versace label, Miuccia added she was sick of seeing women dressed as if they are "desperate for sex".

Miuccia, 54, whose clients include stars such as Gywneth Palrow and Jodie Foster, said: "Really sexy women are the ones who don't try quite so hard and don't go over the top all the time.

"Women who try the hardest to look sexy are in fact the ones who make love the least."

Her comments outraged Donatella, a favourite of British stars Liz Hurley and Posh Spice.

She hit back: "It is important a women's style is her own and that she sends out the right message - individuality, confidence and strength."

Donatella added that if her clients were confident enough to flash their flesh, they should. She said: "When a women is happy with the way she looks, she's at her best."

Meanwhile, Miuccia said she was flattered when her critics claimed that her clothes were fit for nuns.

She added: "Good heavens, just look at some of these women on TV - it's absolutely terrifying.

"It amounts to a kind of desperation to be sexy."