yslforever
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I'll be dashing in my cut-out tank tops, striped jeans and leather jacket ! I'll never button those jeans !
And everyone will be so envious !
Dario Vitale - Designer, Creative Director of Versace
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And everyone will be so envious !
Xone
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Dario’s first and last interview as Versace’s CD from D La Reppublica. This was suppossed to be printed today.
Here the interview (for those who doesn’t speak Italian
FASHION
December 5, 2025
Dario Vitale shortly before leaving Versace: "The brand shouldn't provide answers, but rather provoke questions."
The designer's first and last interview as creative director of Versace, a few days before the surprise news of his departure from the fashion house.
By Serena Tibaldi
Talk about sliding doors. The December 5th issue of La Repubblica's fashion section was supposed to open with an exclusive interview with Dario Vitale, the designer's first to an Italian newspaper as creative director of Versace. As we know, things turned out very differently: the Prada group, which acquired the brand on Tuesday, December 2nd, surprisingly announced the designer's departure on the afternoon of the 4th. The interview, conducted just five days ago, thus remains a sort of "what if," an exploration of what might have been if things had gone differently.
"In fashion, many love to complain. They call for change that never comes. I had to choose between being like them or trying to do something: I chose to act." Dario Vitale—a 42-year-old from Salerno, longtime brand director of Miu Miu under Miuccia Prada—explains the approach he chose when he became creative director of Versace last March, making an immediate impact: his first show, last September at Milan's Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, monopolized social media, amid both praise and controversy for his style, which some said was unexpected for the fashion house. These are days of great change for the brand: last Tuesday, the Prada group finalized its acquisition, initiated shortly after Vitale's arrival. It's a turnaround that the designer is navigating with Olympian calm: for now, he's focused on his first "public" appearance on December 7th, for the opening of La Scala's opera season. He will be present with a diverse group of guests, including Mahmood, transgender supermodel Alex Consani, and Japanese singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama.
Why did you choose La Scala?
"Gianni Versace began collaborating with the theater early, and with La Scala in particular. His first costumes date back to 1982 (for the ballet Josephs Legende, ed. his wasn't a decision that matured over time, but a spur-of-the-moment choice. I wanted to evoke that urgency now that I, too, am just starting out here."
His guests aren't the typical La Scala audience.
Gianni used to say that theater is the place where heroes and gods transcend tradition: there's no more 'Versacian' gesture than dressing the gods, and today's gods are celebrities. Furthermore, it's thought of as a place for institutions, but instead it's a land of freethinkers, of contrasts. And contrasts enliven conversation, as Gianni well knew. In the 1980s, he began hanging out with Maurice Béjart, Bob Wilson, and Julian Schnabel: giants today, but back then they were considered loose cannons. I think for him it was also a way to tell the fashion system, then very conformist, to go to hell, a world that didn't accept him.
But then he became a symbol of that system.
"Changing it forever. The best revolutions start from within, and that's what I aspire to. This is also why I avoided immediately revisiting his most famous creations. I respect his journey, the time and work he put into achieving success."
Are you creating a community like Gianni Versace?
"What an overused term, community. But yes, sharing—in fashion, art, culture—is priceless. The idea of the creative director as a solitary deus ex machina is archaic and wrong."
Another overused term: luxury.
"I believe in luxury as quality. My job, as a designer, is to make an excellent product: I grew up with a grandmother and an uncle who were tailors, so I know how much work goes into a well-made garment. For example, in the archives we found some splendid jeans made with machines no longer in use: we're trying to get them working again, just to sew those stitching. Luxury is demanding, but I'm uncompromising on this. Ironically, I can compromise on style, but not on quality."
When did you discover Versace?
“I became aware of the person behind the brand after his death in 1997. My parents took me to Milan to attend the funeral; I remember the hours spent in Piazza Duomo behind the barriers. Being here, I discovered how similar we are: I assumed I would do everything differently, and instead I find myself in so many of his ways.”
For days, the talk on social media was nothing but his show, even heatedly. Did you expect that?
“Not at all, but the idea that so many people want to have their say on something intrigues me: for me, Versace shouldn't offer answers, but rather provoke questions. Seeing people react is galvanizing, even if being so exposed to the public's love and hate is not at all easy.”
What do you think of today's fashion system?
“Despite its limitations, it remains the exciting world I dreamed of growing up. Thanks to people like Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace: they're curious, enthusiastic, and tireless. I admire their constant pursuit of beauty and innovation, their never-ending quest for change.”
You replaced Donatella, who led the brand since the passing of her brother Gianni: what's your relationship like?
“There's a sincere, friendly exchange between us. At first, I asked her opinion on everything, until she told me, 'Go, do your own Versace, don't think about anything else.' Few would be so generous. And choosing me instead of a more popular name demonstrates her willingness to take risks.”
On Tuesday, the Prada group completed its acquisition of the brand.
"For years, when I was at Miu Miu, they were my family. I know their method: I tried to apply it as soon as I arrived, but I realized they are completely different people. Differences aside, and I say this regardless of my presence here, it makes me happy that an Italian group, capable of placing quality and culture at the center of its universe, is acting to protect a cornerstone of our style."
Here the interview (for those who doesn’t speak Italian
FASHION
December 5, 2025
Dario Vitale shortly before leaving Versace: "The brand shouldn't provide answers, but rather provoke questions."
The designer's first and last interview as creative director of Versace, a few days before the surprise news of his departure from the fashion house.
By Serena Tibaldi
Talk about sliding doors. The December 5th issue of La Repubblica's fashion section was supposed to open with an exclusive interview with Dario Vitale, the designer's first to an Italian newspaper as creative director of Versace. As we know, things turned out very differently: the Prada group, which acquired the brand on Tuesday, December 2nd, surprisingly announced the designer's departure on the afternoon of the 4th. The interview, conducted just five days ago, thus remains a sort of "what if," an exploration of what might have been if things had gone differently.
"In fashion, many love to complain. They call for change that never comes. I had to choose between being like them or trying to do something: I chose to act." Dario Vitale—a 42-year-old from Salerno, longtime brand director of Miu Miu under Miuccia Prada—explains the approach he chose when he became creative director of Versace last March, making an immediate impact: his first show, last September at Milan's Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, monopolized social media, amid both praise and controversy for his style, which some said was unexpected for the fashion house. These are days of great change for the brand: last Tuesday, the Prada group finalized its acquisition, initiated shortly after Vitale's arrival. It's a turnaround that the designer is navigating with Olympian calm: for now, he's focused on his first "public" appearance on December 7th, for the opening of La Scala's opera season. He will be present with a diverse group of guests, including Mahmood, transgender supermodel Alex Consani, and Japanese singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama.
Why did you choose La Scala?
"Gianni Versace began collaborating with the theater early, and with La Scala in particular. His first costumes date back to 1982 (for the ballet Josephs Legende, ed.
his wasn't a decision that matured over time, but a spur-of-the-moment choice. I wanted to evoke that urgency now that I, too, am just starting out here."His guests aren't the typical La Scala audience.
Gianni used to say that theater is the place where heroes and gods transcend tradition: there's no more 'Versacian' gesture than dressing the gods, and today's gods are celebrities. Furthermore, it's thought of as a place for institutions, but instead it's a land of freethinkers, of contrasts. And contrasts enliven conversation, as Gianni well knew. In the 1980s, he began hanging out with Maurice Béjart, Bob Wilson, and Julian Schnabel: giants today, but back then they were considered loose cannons. I think for him it was also a way to tell the fashion system, then very conformist, to go to hell, a world that didn't accept him.
But then he became a symbol of that system.
"Changing it forever. The best revolutions start from within, and that's what I aspire to. This is also why I avoided immediately revisiting his most famous creations. I respect his journey, the time and work he put into achieving success."
Are you creating a community like Gianni Versace?
"What an overused term, community. But yes, sharing—in fashion, art, culture—is priceless. The idea of the creative director as a solitary deus ex machina is archaic and wrong."
Another overused term: luxury.
"I believe in luxury as quality. My job, as a designer, is to make an excellent product: I grew up with a grandmother and an uncle who were tailors, so I know how much work goes into a well-made garment. For example, in the archives we found some splendid jeans made with machines no longer in use: we're trying to get them working again, just to sew those stitching. Luxury is demanding, but I'm uncompromising on this. Ironically, I can compromise on style, but not on quality."
When did you discover Versace?
“I became aware of the person behind the brand after his death in 1997. My parents took me to Milan to attend the funeral; I remember the hours spent in Piazza Duomo behind the barriers. Being here, I discovered how similar we are: I assumed I would do everything differently, and instead I find myself in so many of his ways.”
For days, the talk on social media was nothing but his show, even heatedly. Did you expect that?
“Not at all, but the idea that so many people want to have their say on something intrigues me: for me, Versace shouldn't offer answers, but rather provoke questions. Seeing people react is galvanizing, even if being so exposed to the public's love and hate is not at all easy.”
What do you think of today's fashion system?
“Despite its limitations, it remains the exciting world I dreamed of growing up. Thanks to people like Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace: they're curious, enthusiastic, and tireless. I admire their constant pursuit of beauty and innovation, their never-ending quest for change.”
You replaced Donatella, who led the brand since the passing of her brother Gianni: what's your relationship like?
“There's a sincere, friendly exchange between us. At first, I asked her opinion on everything, until she told me, 'Go, do your own Versace, don't think about anything else.' Few would be so generous. And choosing me instead of a more popular name demonstrates her willingness to take risks.”
On Tuesday, the Prada group completed its acquisition of the brand.
"For years, when I was at Miu Miu, they were my family. I know their method: I tried to apply it as soon as I arrived, but I realized they are completely different people. Differences aside, and I say this regardless of my presence here, it makes me happy that an Italian group, capable of placing quality and culture at the center of its universe, is acting to protect a cornerstone of our style."
yslforever
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A bonfire for the witches of TFS...
PDFSD
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BOF
4 dec 2025
Lorenzo Bertelli — Mrs. Prada’s son who spearheaded the Versace deal and is poised to be named executive chairman of the brand — has emphasised that the new acquisition is “highly complementary” and that its customer base has little overlap with the group’s existing brands. With the layered-on styling and subversive take on sexiness at his debut show, Vitale may have been fishing in Miu Miu’s waters.
It’s unclear how soon Prada Group will announce Versace’s next steps. The company has had time to approach candidates for a creative director of its own choosing: Sources say the decision not to continue with Vitale was made months ago.
Prada is likely seeking a more experienced creative director to reposition the brand, having been burned by M&A before — the group struggled to integrate Helmut Lang and Jil Sander in the early 2000s, and doesn’t want a repeat.
The group may opt for someone with a more straightforward take on sexiness and feminine glamour, whose aesthetic wouldn’t risk cannibalising its two main brands — sleek, cerebral Prada and playful, twisted Miu Miu.
Then there’s the question of Donatella Versace, and whether her current role of chief brand ambassador might evolve. It seems unlikely that Prada Group would go back to having Ms. Versace sign all of the brand’s collections herself, essentially undoing her succession. But the co-creative director configuration of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons has worked well for the group’s biggest brand, and could be pointed to as an argument for some form of a return.
4 dec 2025
Lorenzo Bertelli — Mrs. Prada’s son who spearheaded the Versace deal and is poised to be named executive chairman of the brand — has emphasised that the new acquisition is “highly complementary” and that its customer base has little overlap with the group’s existing brands. With the layered-on styling and subversive take on sexiness at his debut show, Vitale may have been fishing in Miu Miu’s waters.
It’s unclear how soon Prada Group will announce Versace’s next steps. The company has had time to approach candidates for a creative director of its own choosing: Sources say the decision not to continue with Vitale was made months ago.
Prada is likely seeking a more experienced creative director to reposition the brand, having been burned by M&A before — the group struggled to integrate Helmut Lang and Jil Sander in the early 2000s, and doesn’t want a repeat.
The group may opt for someone with a more straightforward take on sexiness and feminine glamour, whose aesthetic wouldn’t risk cannibalising its two main brands — sleek, cerebral Prada and playful, twisted Miu Miu.
Then there’s the question of Donatella Versace, and whether her current role of chief brand ambassador might evolve. It seems unlikely that Prada Group would go back to having Ms. Versace sign all of the brand’s collections herself, essentially undoing her succession. But the co-creative director configuration of Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons has worked well for the group’s biggest brand, and could be pointed to as an argument for some form of a return.
PDFSD
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BOF
5 dec2025
By Imran Amed
05 December 2025
Dear BoF Community,
A few months ago, I was sitting down with Andrea Guerra to prepare for our conversation for BoF VOICES. Every year, I choose one luxury CEO to interview and this year, I knew it had to be Guerra, what with the sustained growth at Prada Group, powered in no small part by the explosive success of Miu Miu, and the news that the company was set to acquire Versace.
As always, Guerra was game for direct questions and when it came to interview time, he delivered incisive responses and handled some challenging questions with aplomb on topics from piloting a soft landing at Miu Miu as growth inevitably slows to luxury’s price-value equation. He let slip that Prada scion Lorenzo Bertelli would become executive chairman at soon to be acquired Versace, but avoided directly answering my question about the future of the brand’s creative and business leadership.
“Especially at the beginning, stability is a very important word,” Guerra said. “And this is what we are going to do. We are going to care about everyone working in Versace. And we are going to care about everything that is happening in Versace. The only thing I don’t want to happen is I don’t want to kill the patient while we cure it.”
So the speed at which the Prada-Bertelli clan exited Versace designer Dario Vitale, only two days after taking control of the brand, took me by surprise. The news immediately sparked another round of designer succession speculation. Could it be Anthony Vacarello? Sources have told BoF that he’s been approached and that he idolises founder Gianni.
The potential match-up makes sense given his history with the brand (he previously designed Versus and has a good relationship with Donatella), speaks Italian and, after ten years at Saint Laurent, might be looking for a new challenge.
But that’s besides the point. Leaving aside that Dario Vitale’s show that wasn’t supposed to be a show turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly exciting moments of the Milan fashion season gone by, it was also notable because he was a new name, with new energy. Everywhere else we were seeing old names pop up at new houses. He was a new guy on the scene to step into the spotlight from behind the scenes. Whether or not he was a good fit for Versace (Prada clearly thinks not), a healthy fashion system depends on this kind of creative renewal and change.
Unfortunately for Vitale, the old axiom “you never know what is going to come back to bite you” held especially true for him. After informing Prada Group earlier this year that he was leaving Miu Miu to take the creative director role at Versace, he was told in no uncertain terms that they did not believe he was ready for such a role and if Prada ended up acquiring Versace he would not stay in the job, according to multiple sources close to the company.
Vitale took the plunge in any case, so he knew this was coming. Maybe it will still pay off for him in the end, his buzzy debut a compelling audition for a new role no doubt.
In the meantime, we will wait and watch what happens at Versace. We understand that a new creative director has already been identified and could be announced within the month.
One thing that might have scuppered Vitale’s tenure at Versace was the pricing. His collection brought to mind the youthful energy of the brand’s former second line Versus, but was priced like top-end luxury.
This topic was central to the discussion I had with System Magazine’s editor in chief Jonathan Wingfield and Bernstein’s global luxury analyst Luca Solca for another wide-ranging examination of the state of the luxury industry on this week’s episode of The BoF Podcast.
5 dec2025
By Imran Amed
05 December 2025
Dario Vitale’s Versace Exit: The Backstory
Vitale may not be the right fit for Prada’s Versace strategy but a healthy fashion system depends on creative renewal powered by young talent, writes Imran Amed.Dear BoF Community,
A few months ago, I was sitting down with Andrea Guerra to prepare for our conversation for BoF VOICES. Every year, I choose one luxury CEO to interview and this year, I knew it had to be Guerra, what with the sustained growth at Prada Group, powered in no small part by the explosive success of Miu Miu, and the news that the company was set to acquire Versace.
As always, Guerra was game for direct questions and when it came to interview time, he delivered incisive responses and handled some challenging questions with aplomb on topics from piloting a soft landing at Miu Miu as growth inevitably slows to luxury’s price-value equation. He let slip that Prada scion Lorenzo Bertelli would become executive chairman at soon to be acquired Versace, but avoided directly answering my question about the future of the brand’s creative and business leadership.
“Especially at the beginning, stability is a very important word,” Guerra said. “And this is what we are going to do. We are going to care about everyone working in Versace. And we are going to care about everything that is happening in Versace. The only thing I don’t want to happen is I don’t want to kill the patient while we cure it.”
So the speed at which the Prada-Bertelli clan exited Versace designer Dario Vitale, only two days after taking control of the brand, took me by surprise. The news immediately sparked another round of designer succession speculation. Could it be Anthony Vacarello? Sources have told BoF that he’s been approached and that he idolises founder Gianni.
The potential match-up makes sense given his history with the brand (he previously designed Versus and has a good relationship with Donatella), speaks Italian and, after ten years at Saint Laurent, might be looking for a new challenge.
But that’s besides the point. Leaving aside that Dario Vitale’s show that wasn’t supposed to be a show turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly exciting moments of the Milan fashion season gone by, it was also notable because he was a new name, with new energy. Everywhere else we were seeing old names pop up at new houses. He was a new guy on the scene to step into the spotlight from behind the scenes. Whether or not he was a good fit for Versace (Prada clearly thinks not), a healthy fashion system depends on this kind of creative renewal and change.
Unfortunately for Vitale, the old axiom “you never know what is going to come back to bite you” held especially true for him. After informing Prada Group earlier this year that he was leaving Miu Miu to take the creative director role at Versace, he was told in no uncertain terms that they did not believe he was ready for such a role and if Prada ended up acquiring Versace he would not stay in the job, according to multiple sources close to the company.
Vitale took the plunge in any case, so he knew this was coming. Maybe it will still pay off for him in the end, his buzzy debut a compelling audition for a new role no doubt.
In the meantime, we will wait and watch what happens at Versace. We understand that a new creative director has already been identified and could be announced within the month.
One thing that might have scuppered Vitale’s tenure at Versace was the pricing. His collection brought to mind the youthful energy of the brand’s former second line Versus, but was priced like top-end luxury.
This topic was central to the discussion I had with System Magazine’s editor in chief Jonathan Wingfield and Bernstein’s global luxury analyst Luca Solca for another wide-ranging examination of the state of the luxury industry on this week’s episode of The BoF Podcast.
nationalsalt
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Are there any CD roles currently vacant at other houses? I can't think off the top of my head.
Maybe he can swap with Anthony Vacarello and do YSL 😄 Or Law Roach's Ungaro relaunch?
reese06
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Yes
Scotty
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Oh he's coping hard... to the Grindr chamber for you!
youthinasia
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We don’t need an ‘intellectual’ take on Versace
PDFSD
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my only bet
My only bet is on him for this job sexy modern and selling track record enough taste that prada would be proud of to have versace by like the new ALAIA.
PDFSD
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Sure but his intelectual is cola zero very fashion and ig friendly its a veneer of intellectual enough for versace.
Squizree
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Yeah Mulier's "intellectual" is VERY different from, say, Raf's. Whether it's palatable enough for the Versace customer, I'm not sure.
Interesting to see Vacarello's name still being mentioned in the mix though.
Interesting to see Vacarello's name still being mentioned in the mix though.
FashionPower
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PM is the safest and safest option.
We know the fashion circle / critics despise "in your face" glam, Phoebe / Blazy / Ghesquiere are the only ones being praised and having relevancy in the conversation.
Glam does not sell anymore and even the conventional customer associate that particular aesthetic to something passé, tacky, "unfashionable" and out of style in general. Nowadays, if you want glam you go to Elie Saab, not Versace. Even Balmain and Valentino are struggling in current times...
The only way to do successfully sexy and glam in current fashion landscape is either by making it intellectual, elevated and cerebral a la Alaia by Mulier or quirky and edgy a la Miu Miu.
This is why the late 80's Andrew Cunanan gay Miami Vice extravaganza from Vitale would have NEVER worked commercially, too "in your face" and hence considered tacky and out of style. Show the printed shirts from the Vitale collection to a random person with no fashion knowledge and they would tell you they are from Desigual...just saying.
Rousteing is not even considered by Bertelli because he does very tacky glam, Tisci is probably getting creampied by an onlyfans star right now so he's busy, Vaccarello I don't think he's leaving Saint Laurent due to his movie production obligations...unless De Meo kicks him out for not having designed a decent handbag since the beginning of his tenure. However, Vaccarello could be the benchmark for an image building strategy.
We know the fashion circle / critics despise "in your face" glam, Phoebe / Blazy / Ghesquiere are the only ones being praised and having relevancy in the conversation.
Glam does not sell anymore and even the conventional customer associate that particular aesthetic to something passé, tacky, "unfashionable" and out of style in general. Nowadays, if you want glam you go to Elie Saab, not Versace. Even Balmain and Valentino are struggling in current times...
The only way to do successfully sexy and glam in current fashion landscape is either by making it intellectual, elevated and cerebral a la Alaia by Mulier or quirky and edgy a la Miu Miu.
This is why the late 80's Andrew Cunanan gay Miami Vice extravaganza from Vitale would have NEVER worked commercially, too "in your face" and hence considered tacky and out of style. Show the printed shirts from the Vitale collection to a random person with no fashion knowledge and they would tell you they are from Desigual...just saying.
Rousteing is not even considered by Bertelli because he does very tacky glam, Tisci is probably getting creampied by an onlyfans star right now so he's busy, Vaccarello I don't think he's leaving Saint Laurent due to his movie production obligations...unless De Meo kicks him out for not having designed a decent handbag since the beginning of his tenure. However, Vaccarello could be the benchmark for an image building strategy.
GivenchyHomme
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Any word if the collection will actually be produced? With how it’s priced, it’s not going to be an easy sell.
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