Versace’s Creative Director steps down, leaving the brand at a crossroads

Prada took over Versace on 2nd December, 2025, and the fashion world expected change. Just two days after the announcement Versace’s Creative Director Dario Vitale, the first designer to take the brand responsibility in hand after Donatella Versace, stepped down on 4th December.

“Versace and its Chief Creative Officer, Dario Vitale, have mutually agreed to part ways effective from December 12th, 2025,” the brand said in a statement.

But here’s why no one saw this coming.

In September 2025, during the Milan Fashion Week, Vitale debuted his first collection for Versace. The lineup embraced Humanist Sleaze, crotch-skimming skirts, studded leather, Miami-coded colours, low-slung tailoring and unapologetically sexy silhouettes. Fashion critics and fans called it a shock to the system for a house that had begun to feel stuck on repeat.

Vitale’s eyewear campaign, centered around the signature Greca line, doubled down on that energy. Sharp, glossy, high-impact visuals designed for social media circulation.

At the time, it seemed like the start of a long creative chapter. 

The Executive Chairman of Versace, Lorenzo Bertelli stated “We would like to sincerely thank Dario for his outstanding contribution to the development of the brand’s creative strategy during this transition period, and we wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.” 

Following Dario’s exit, Emmanuel Gintzburger, CEO of Versace will be overseeing the creative team until a new creative director is appointed. 

While Prada has not publicly outlined its creative or commercial long-term strategy for Versace, industry observers note that the timing of Vitale’s exit is aligned directly with the transaction’s completion, underscoring a likely recalibration of the house’s future direction. 

Prada acquisition was valued at approximately $1.375 billion, placing the brand under Prada Group’s operational and strategic umbrella, returning the brand to its Italian ownership after years of U.S-based Capri Holdings. Analysts suggest that Versace’s creative strategy, production efficiency and market positioning will undergo evaluation as integration progresses. 

As the brand transitions under new corporate structure and without a named creative leader, the upcoming months will be critical in defining its identity.