Donatella Versace Departs as Designer, Dario Vitale Takes Reins
MILAN — Donatella Versace was named chief brand ambassador of the fashion house she has helped grow on her own for the past 28 years, following the death of her beloved brother Gianni.
On Thursday, Versace announced that the designer would be succeeded by Dario Vitale, named chief creative officer, effective April 1.
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Vitale was previously Miu Miu ready-to-wear design director and left the company in January.
As first reported by WWD in December, sources said the contract of Donatella Versace, who held the role of chief creative officer of the Italian brand, was up in February. In her new role, she will dedicate herself to the support of Versace’s philanthropic and charitable endeavours.
In 2018, Donatella Versace reached a $2.1 billion deal to sell her family’s company to Michael Kors Holdings, which subsequently changed its name to Capri Holdings. Sources said Prada Group is in exclusive due diligence with Capri about buying both Jimmy Choo and Versace and have about mid-March to conclude a deal, if one is finalized. Prada could in turn flip Jimmy Choo to another buyer to focus on Versace.
“Today’s announcements were part of a thoughtful succession plan for Versace,” stated John D. Idol, chairman and chief executive officer of Capri Holdings. “Since 1997, Donatella has led the creative vision for the house of Versace and played an integral role in the company’s global success. He added that the designer “will continue to champion the Versace brand and its values.”
Idol described Vitale as “a strong design leader, and we are confident that his talent and vision will be instrumental to Versace’s future growth.”
Donatella Versace has been fundamental in spearheading the brand. In addition to her work as a designer, she has acquired A-list popularity on social media, and is widely recognized for her philanthropic work, her support of the marginalized and her initiatives to sustain the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. She has also supported young designers such as Christopher Kane, who designed Versus with her for years, Jonathan Anderson and Anthony Vaccarello, attending the latter’s show for Saint Laurent on Tuesday night in Paris.
To wit, on Thursday, she said that “championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. I am thrilled that Dario Vitale will be joining us, and excited to see Versace through new eyes. I want to thank my incredible design team and all the employees at Versace that I have had the privilege of working with for over three decades.”
In her new role, she said she would “remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”
Concluding, she underscored that “it has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity.”
Sources said Idol and Donatella Versace have often clashed over the strategy for the brand, further fueling the speculation over the designer’s contract renewal.
Vitale said he was “truly honored ” to join the company and “to be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury house created by Gianni and Donatella.” He paid tribute to the brand’s “unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion. I want to express my sincere thank you to Donatella for her trust in me, and for her tireless dedication to the extraordinary brand that Versace is today. It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise and dedication.”
Emmanuel Gintzburger, CEO of Versace, said “Versace is what it is today because of Donatella Versace and the passion she has brought to her role every day for nearly 30 years. The universal values she stands for and her love for uncompromised creativity anchored Versace far beyond a brand or a company. Working alongside her has been an incredible privilege and pleasure.”
Gintzburger expressed his confidence in the company “as we are well-prepared for the organization to write this new chapter for the house. Dario Vitale is a rare talent, who deeply respects the essence and values of Versace and clearly understands its growth potential.”
The CEO touted Vitale’s “experience and vision,” confident that it “will bring a new perspective to the brand. I am excited to welcome him in the coming weeks and embark on a new and ambitious journey for Versace.”
Donatella Versace was born in Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, the younger sister to Gianni and Santo. The company was founded in 1978 and, while Santo dealt with the business, Donatella started working beside Gianni and was also considered his muse.
She supervised campaigns by photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton, and in 1994 she became head designer of Versus.
She has helped build the brand by connecting luxury with the mood of the street, curious for novelty and leveraging a deep understanding of pop culture.
Besides supervising the successful Versace Home line, a pioneer in the segment as a fashion brand, she has been overseeing fine jewelry, timepieces, fragrances and the Versace interior design facility as well as the palazzo Versace hotels in Australia, on the Gold Coast, in Dubai and Macau.
In December 2017, the British Fashion Council bestowed her the Fashion Icon Award during the Fashion Awards, and in June 2018, she received the International Award by the CFDA.
In September 2018, the designer received the CNMI Award in recognition of sustainability at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards.
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