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Donatella Versace, the visionary who steered the Versace brand through triumph and tragedy, has stepped down as chief creative officer, Versace’s U.S. owner Capri Holdings announced on Thursday, March 13. Donatella will become chief brand ambassador, while Miu Miu’s former design and image director, Dario Vitale, has been appointed chief creative officer, effective April 1.
“Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me,” Donatella said on Thursday via Instagram. “I am thrilled that Dario Vitale will be joining us and excited to see Versace through new eyes.” She added: “I want to thank my incredible design team and all the employees at Versace that I had the privilege of working with for over three decades.”
The brand’s Fall 2025 presentation in Milan last month marked a seismic shift in the luxury fashion landscape, signaling both an end and a beginning for the iconic Italian label. “With this collection, I am not following any rules. Only the rules of the Versace DNA,” she said, encapsulating the brand’s bold, rebellious spirit with a highly personal touch. And when she took her final bow, she did it in a vintage Versace jacket designed by her late brother, Gianni Versace; it was a reminder that for her, this brand isn’t just business; it’s family.
“It’s been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy,” Donatella said in Thursday’s statement. “He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity.” As for her new role as chief brand ambassador, she said: “I will remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”
Donatella’s tenure at Versace is also a testament to resilience and reinvention. Thrust into the spotlight following Gianni’s tragic murder in 1997, she transformed the brand into a global powerhouse. Before his passing, Donatella worked alongside her brother in many capacities but was long described by the press as his muse, when in reality, she was so much more.
As a confidant and creative sounding board — their professional partnership was deeply collaborative and complementary. With her sense of style and instinct for brand image, she was instrumental in further pushing the instincts of her designer brother’s genius.
Donatella brought a music-inspired edge to a name that, with her help, constantly renewed itself and kept abreast of the times. She encouraged Gianni to remain forever young, filling his front row with the right celebrities, from Madonna to Whitney Houston. This extended to putting Versace-clad, newly coined “supermodels” on the runway, who in 1991, strutted out while lip-synching George Michael‘s 1990 hit anthem “Freedom!”
Fast-forward to 2018, Donatella staged a now-legendary tribute show to Gianni on the 20-year anniversary of his death and brought back the original supers — Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and more — on the catwalk one more time. It was a full-circle moment that Versace’s legacy wasn’t just alive, it was thriving.
Since taking the helm, the Versace woman has been cut, carved and crafted precisely in her likeness. “She’s a luxurious woman,” is how Donatella once summed it up. “She wears an architectural wardrobe, made of beautiful cuts and fabrics. Perfection. A perfect dress is the best gift you can give a woman. When a woman feels beautiful, confident and strong wearing a dress, that’s the best gift she can receive. This means I did my job well.”
Donatella’s success stemmed from her innate instincts, particularly her early recognition of the potent connection between fashion and Hollywood. Envisioning specific celebrities in her designs during the creative process, she’s orchestrated some of the most iconic red-carpet moments. This foresight led to Jennifer Lopez‘s legendary jungle-print gown at the 2000 Grammys, a moment so impactful it spurred the creation of Google Image Search – a testament to her profound influence.
It’s also one that she put back on the runway in a similar design for her Spring 2020 collection; when Lopez closed the show in said dress, the meta moment received a standing ovation and instantly went viral once again.
As much as she embraces celebrity culture, Donatella also champions inclusivity, making Versace a symbol of self-expression that transcends clothing. She’s vocal about using fashion as a medium to challenge stereotypes and celebrate individuality. Versace remains relevant in a world that’s constantly evolving, as seen in her ability to navigate the digital age and forge groundbreaking collaborations that propelled the brand into the 21st century.
Today, Donatella is the most social media-savvy fashion designer in the world with over 12 million Instagram followers (and counting), which includes everyone from Lil Nas X and Miley Cyrus to Elton John and Cher. In fact, Versace was one of the most-buzzed-about brands at Milan Fashion Week last month, as the comments section saw users draw comparisons between past and present Versace while praising Donatella’s defining influence on fashion.
As The Business of Fashion reported: “Social media audiences’ concern around the future of Versace’s creative direction underscored the emotional attachment people have to the brand’s history, proving that fashion legacy plays a key role in its present-day cultural impact.” Adding: “[They] responded to iconic house codes that are central to the brand DNA, such as Versace’s Medusa head and the aesthetic homages to previous collections, emphasizing the power of nostalgia and the importance of maintaining a strong visual identity.”
Long before that, she also injected fresh young talent into the brand, hiring Jonathan Anderson and Anthony Vaccarello before they took the reigns at Loewe and Saint Laurent, respectively. In 2009, she tapped Christopher Kane to relaunch Versus Versace. Prior to that, she became a mentor to Kane (who was then in his final year at Central Saint Martins in London) when she heard from a journalist that he wanted a small piece of metal mesh to complete a dress for his exam.
Since graduating from Versus Versace to launching his eponymous brand, Kane has said that her impact was more profound than she’s given credit. “Gianni was one of fashion’s greats and together, they were part of something so progressive and new in fashion history,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald in 2023. “It was Donatella who challenged society’s perception of how women could dress and feel. Even now, there isn’t one fashion student or studio who hasn’t pinned them to a wall.”
Maintaining the unique identity of Versace will require careful planning and execution under Vitale’s leadership. “I am truly honored to join Versace as the Chief Creative Officer and to be a part of this special and powerful luxury house created by Gianni and Donatella,” Vitale also stated via Instagram. “The house of Versace has a unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion.”
Vitale continued: “I want to express my sincere thank you to Donatella for her trust in me and for her tireless dedication to the growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise and dedication.”
With Donatella stepping down, the fashion world is reckoning with the future creative direction of Versace under a new stewardship. Her unwavering commitment to the brand’s legacy is undeniable, and she will continue to prove invaluable in navigating this new chapter, even if from a less hands-on position.
