Prada Group acquires Versace for €1.25 billion

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

I love your offering and I am sure Lauren Sanchez would love it too！

I was thinking about Elizabeth Hurley (coat, boots and long dresses!) Something she said in the Fall 2006 show

 

[Lola701]

Now im curious to know how Donatella will be involved in the company. Yes the change happened before in order to facilitate things and in a way, Capri did the dirty work Prada would have done eventually….

I guess they will do with Versace what they have done with Alaia: develop the accessories. It’s not often said but beyond all the failures they experienced with Jil Sander and Helmut Lang, Prada did some great things with Alaia.
Fabio and Samuelle contributed tremendously in creating and maintaining an identity for Alaia accessories.

Versace is not a monolith. Gianni did very different things. Yes the collections between 1992 and and 1995 are known for their excess but as I have always said, Gianni was rather cutting edge in the 80’s. His style evolved into a certain form of classicism in the late 90’s.

So they have to define a vision of Versace that is not stuck in the past…Something that Donatella managed to do in the mid to late 00’s but that has totally disappeared since the infamous tribute collection.

People are simply not going to buy accessories with a Medusa on.

If they are clever, they market Donatella’s last collection well so that the emotional factor has an impact on stores.

 

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

@TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu Okay, now how about clothes and accessories people will actually buy?

What are you on about? Women don't wear leather boots and sexy dresses? Yes, I am sure most rich women don’t want to feel glamorous and look hot, from J.Lo to Blake Lively? Instead, they want to look asexual like a frigid b*tch?

Even Tim Blanks and Alex Fury wear a lot of Hawaiian shirts? Prada also famously makes Hawaiian shirts? And Dolce & Gabbana aren’t making money from their home line selling cushions and bedsheets?

It’s about brand image and fantasy storytelling. Even with the same product offerings, presented with a different styling

 

[blueorchid]

@TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu Well, why weren't people buying Versace already if that's what people want? You can design sexy clothes women will actually buy, not dated sh*t. Do you think women aren't buying leather boots because Versace isn't selling them or something?

Naturally, on tFS women's fashion is a pendulum between tacky and frigid b*tch. Bizarre.

 

[GoldenPetals]

They say Versace's chief executive, Emanuelle Gintzburger, and John Idol, boss of the label's owners, Capri Holdings, colluded to get rid of Donatella and replace her with Dario so they can continue with a succession plan that she didn't agree with.”

Do we believe this? What exactly is the "succession plan"? To hand it over to Dario and turn it into Miu Miu-lite?

 

[brandon J pierre]

Mutiny at Versace and Ruthless Layoffs
From the MailOnline April5th, 2025.

“MailOnline can reveal that there has been yet more drama at the company as they got rid of a number of long-serving and loyal staff in a round of cuts which coincided with the arrival of Donatella's replacement Dario Vitale, a former director at rival Miu Miu.
According to sources at the company, they were made redundant at the behest of chief executive, Emanuelle Gintzburger, who according to one insider didn't turn up to do it himself and was instead working abroad in Asia.
Insiders say that it has caused 'mutiny' at the firm, with one saying: 'Lots of highly rated staff have been sacked. It all happened last week, there are some really hard working, loyal people who have gone.

'They weren't best pleased that Emanuelle wasn't there to do it himself but then these things do get left to HR. They also say they were not thanked by him for their hard work and years of service.

'The whole place has changed since Donatella left, it is terribly sad, it shows just what a positive influence she was there. It was often a happy place then, now there is mutiny.'

They say Versace's chief executive, Emanuelle Gintzburger, and John Idol, boss of the label's owners, Capri Holdings, colluded to get rid of Donatella and replace her with Dario so they can continue with a succession plan that she didn't agree with.”

Absolutely horrible same thing that happened to Dior same thing that happened to Louis Vuitton back in the age of 90s horrific. I'm sure donatella is sad about that.

 

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

@TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu Well, why weren't people buying Versace already if that's what people want? You can design sexy clothes women will actually buy, not dated sh*t. Do you think women aren't buying leather boots because Versace isn't selling them or something?

Naturally, on tFS women's fashion is a pendulum between tacky and frigid b*tch. Bizarre.

Well... currently they are not making these fabulous clothes, not since Carpi bought them. Hence their identity crisis! How can they lost their iconic DNA?

There are only 2 international brands that really scream S-E-X in the loudest way possible, Tom Ford and Versace. Dolce Gabbana is close but they are more glamorous.

If women want other clothes not sexy or frigid b*tch, they can buy Prada, Phoebe or Hedi Celine or whatever.

 

[GoldenPetals]

I guess anything is better than THIS

 

[brandon J pierre]

Now im curious to know how Donatella will be involved in the company. Yes the change happened before in order to facilitate things and in a way, Capri did the dirty work Prada would have done eventually….

I guess they will do with Versace what they have done with Alaia: develop the accessories. It’s not often said but beyond all the failures they experienced with Jil Sander and Helmut Lang, Prada did some great things with Alaia.
Fabio and Samuelle contributed tremendously in creating and maintaining an identity for Alaia accessories.

Versace is not a monolith. Gianni did very different things. Yes the collections between 1992 and and 1995 are known for their excess but as I have always said, Gianni was rather cutting edge in the 80’s. His style evolved into a certain form of classicism in the late 90’s.

So they have to define a vision of Versace that is not stuck in the past…Something that Donatella managed to do in the mid to late 00’s but that has totally disappeared since the infamous tribute collection.

People are simply not going to buy accessories with a Medusa on.

If they are clever, they market Donatella’s last collection well so that the emotional factor has an impact on stores.

I have been binge watching Versace shows from the 80s and watching him slowly and gradually move into extreme colors and beading is something, some of the most interesting cutting I've ever seen other than Alexander McQueen that is sexy but also slightly advent grade. Also if you go on YouTube you get to see some of his early couture shows absolutely outrageous the way he slowly pumps up the color and then around 95.96 is slowly starts to tone it all down into extreme sexiness this house has a lot of extreme potential. And Donatella kept it alive

 

[GoldenPetals]

How profitable was Versace under Donatella? I know a good part of the 2000s decade was spent losing money.

 

[fenty]

“MailOnline can reveal that there has been yet more drama at the company as they got rid of a number of long-serving and loyal staff in a round of cuts which coincided with the arrival of Donatella's replacement Dario Vitale, a former director at rival Miu Miu.


'The whole place has changed since Donatella left, it is terribly sad, it shows just what a positive influence she was there. It was often a happy place then, now there is mutiny.'

PRAYING THIS MEANS JACOB K & PGG LEFT!!!

 

[GoldenPetals]

The sad part is Donatella has to smile through it all. Business is business, I guess.

 

[reese06]

Mutiny at Versace and Ruthless Layoffs
From the MailOnline April5th, 2025.

“MailOnline can reveal that there has been yet more drama at the company as they got rid of a number of long-serving and loyal staff in a round of cuts which coincided with the arrival of Donatella's replacement Dario Vitale, a former director at rival Miu Miu.
According to sources at the company, they were made redundant at the behest of chief executive, Emanuelle Gintzburger, who according to one insider didn't turn up to do it himself and was instead working abroad in Asia.
Insiders say that it has caused 'mutiny' at the firm, with one saying: 'Lots of highly rated staff have been sacked. It all happened last week, there are some really hard working, loyal people who have gone.

'They weren't best pleased that Emanuelle wasn't there to do it himself but then these things do get left to HR. They also say they were not thanked by him for their hard work and years of service.

'The whole place has changed since Donatella left, it is terribly sad, it shows just what a positive influence she was there. It was often a happy place then, now there is mutiny.'

They say Versace's chief executive, Emanuelle Gintzburger, and John Idol, boss of the label's owners, Capri Holdings, colluded to get rid of Donatella and replace her with Dario so they can continue with a succession plan that she didn't agree with.”

The layoffs were unfortunate, but they were necessary. Just like Donatella stepping back, something a lot of us on TFS have been saying should’ve happened for years. A Miuccia and Raf-style setup could have worked with a new designer at the helm, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was floated and she shut it down.

If there’s one brand that shouldn't be chasing trends like a fast fashion label, it’s Versace. The house has a clear, powerful identity. People don’t go to Versace for whatever’s hot that week, they go for glamour, beauty, and attitude. You buy into the fantasy. Some pieces became trendy because they were great, not because they were trying to be.

The accessories need a full reset. Design, quality...all of it.

I still love fashion, but I’ve grown disillusioned with the industry. It’s become smoke and mirrors, constant hype, and chasing margins. Real design, real craft, real vision, all getting sacrificed for quarterly gains. This was Donatella's downfall, she sacrificed real design and craft, chasing trends to only still fail miserably. The amount of ugly sneakers to keep up with hypebeast and streetwear that were marketed to me from Versace was baffling. I'm not going to Versace for a hype sneaker - they simply didn't have the authority when the shoe design is basic is just one glaring personal example.

Maybe it’s naive to think Prada will handle this with care, but I want to believe there’s still a place for a house like Versace to reclaim its authority. Not by becoming relevant, but by reminding everyone why it always was and as @Lola701 said, that doesn't mean being stuck in the past.

 

[blueorchid]

I think they could successfully lean into Gianni's late 70s/early 80s designs if they want to combine "quiet luxury" with sex appeal. I know people love Donatella, but... Gianni had better taste than her, sorry not sorry.

 

[marsnoop2]

PRAYING THIS MEANS JACOB K & PGG LEFT!!!

Lighting sage as we speak to cleanse Versace of the torment they plagued us with for years.

 

[PDFSD]

How profitable was Versace under Donatella? I know a good part of the 2000s decade was spent losing money.

By contrast, in its most recent financial report Capri, which also owns Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo, said it expected Versace revenues to drop to $810 million in its current fiscal year, from $1 billion in 2024.

 

[Lola701]

I have been binge watching Versace shows from the 80s and watching him slowly and gradually move into extreme colors and beading is something, some of the most interesting cutting I've ever seen other than Alexander McQueen that is sexy but also slightly advent grade. Also if you go on YouTube you get to see some of his early couture shows absolutely outrageous the way he slowly pumps up the color and then around 95.96 is slowly starts to tone it all down into extreme sexiness this house has a lot of extreme potential. And Donatella kept it alive

The reality is that the 1992/1995 period had that overwhelming presence that solidified in a way what Versace was for the mass but indeed, Gianni’s repertoire was hugely vast and interesting.
I have looked at his work in the early 80’s and even from the late 70’s. It was very interesting. Gianni’s contribution to fashion is insane!
The drapés and earthy tones of the 80s to the loud and excessive feminity of the early 90’s to a relative conservatism of the late 90’s. He pushed fashion, the limits of taste and more and more. He is as important as Azzedine Alaia but he had the edge of a Gaultier.

I have finally be able to watch his firsts few Couture shows this week and it’s a feast for the eyes. It’s terribly of it time but it’s also so copied today.

Donatella kept it alive, made it evolve but the stopped. It’s weird but each time she referenced instead of interpreting Gianni, it felt like a step back. FW2008 is totally Donatella and Gianni but it’s never a throwback. Even SS2008 that is quite simplistic can be traced back to the 80’s with the drapes and all.

I think the problem with Versace is that it doesn’t know what it is today. And for me the clothes aren’t even the problem.

When we look at Versace under Gianni, the clothes changed, evolved. The models too. The skinny girls from the 80’s/early 90’s became the Vavavoom divas who were then replaced through the post grunge era.

Versace is a certain idea of grown up feminity, of glamour. And maybe the brand needs an outside eye to really give it today.

How profitable was Versace under Donatella? I know a good part of the 2000s decade was spent losing money.

If I remember well, they started to be profitable just before selling to Capri.
What is interesting is that it’s a brand that has always done huge numbers while struggling to be profitable.

Well... currently they are not making these fabulous clothes, not since Carpi bought them. Hence their identity crisis! How can they lost their iconic DNA?

There are only 2 international brands that really scream S-E-X in the loudest way possible, Tom Ford and Versace. Dolce Gabbana is close but they are more glamorous.

If women want other clothes not sexy or frigid b*tch, they can buy Prada, Phoebe or Hedi Celine or whatever.

The problem is not sex or not. Tom Ford is not really my definition of loud sex. It’s louche but the Tom Ford look is a man in a suit and a woman with a blouse with 3 buttons undone.

The problem with Versace is consistency. One season she makes womanly clothes, the next season, she puts her clothes on teenagers. And also a lack of signature. Ok if Versace is THE brand of printed silk shirts, why Casablanca has a more interesting selection? What does a Versace suit, dress or bag looks like 2025.

I love Phoebe Philo. It fits my taste, my age and it has the right amount of sexiness for me. I may not wear it as it is presented but at the end, the product work.

I think it’s also time to address a new way of being sexy. Sexy is something that evolves and also walk that fine line between vulgarity and sexiness in terms of fashion POV.

 

[PDFSD]

just to compare Prada Group 2024 financial :

The Group’s revenue reached 5.432 billion euros ($5.89 billion), a 17.0% YoY increase.
Net profit grew by 25.0% YoY to 839 million euros ($910 million).
Prada’s retail sales increased by 4.2% to 3.563 billion euros ($3.86 billion), while Miu Miu saw a 93.2% surge to 1.228 billion euros ($1.33 billion)

As Miu Miu surpasses the 1 billion-euro mark for 2024 ......pls lets not do like Versace is not selling ...does not mean its doing great as it should be a bigger brand for sure ...but still lets keep facts intact for comparison

 

[carla56]

Absolutely horrible same thing that happened to Dior same thing that happened to Louis Vuitton back in the age of 90s horrific. I'm sure donatella is sad about that.

Donatella is 70 yo and has something like 2 billions in her bank account…why do we always think that those people have and want to work till they are dead and not be home swimming in their money?!?

 

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

The reality is that the 1992/1995 period had that overwhelming presence that solidified in a way what Versace was for the mass but indeed, Gianni’s repertoire was hugely vast and interesting.
I have looked at his work in the early 80’s and even from the late 70’s. It was very interesting. Gianni’s contribution to fashion is insane!
The drapés and earthy tones of the 80s to the loud and excessive feminity of the early 90’s to a relative conservatism of the late 90’s. He pushed fashion, the limits of taste and more and more. He is as important as Azzedine Alaia but he had the edge of a Gaultier.

I have finally be able to watch his firsts few Couture shows this week and it’s a feast for the eyes. It’s terribly of it time but it’s also so copied today.

Donatella kept it alive, made it evolve but the stopped. It’s weird but each time she referenced instead of interpreting Gianni, it felt like a step back. FW2008 is totally Donatella and Gianni but it’s never a throwback. Even SS2008 that is quite simplistic can be traced back to the 80’s with the drapes and all.

I think the problem with Versace is that it doesn’t know what it is today. And for me the clothes aren’t even the problem.

When we look at Versace under Gianni, the clothes changed, evolved. The models too. The skinny girls from the 80’s/early 90’s became the Vavavoom divas who were then replaced through the post grunge era.

Versace is a certain idea of grown up feminity, of glamour. And maybe the brand needs an outside eye to really give it today.


If I remember well, they started to be profitable just before selling to Capri.
What is interesting is that it’s a brand that has always done huge numbers while struggling to be profitable.

The problem is not sex or not. Tom Ford is not really my definition of loud sex. It’s louche but the Tom Ford look is a man in a suit and a woman with a blouse with 3 buttons undone.

The problem with Versace is consistency. One season she makes womanly clothes, the next season, she puts her clothes on teenagers. And also a lack of signature. Ok if Versace is THE brand of printed silk shirts, why Casablanca has a more interesting selection? What does a Versace suit, dress or bag looks like 2025.

I love Phoebe Philo. It fits my taste, my age and it has the right amount of sexiness for me. I may not wear it as it is presented but at the end, the product work.

I think it’s also time to address a new way of being sexy. Sexy is something that evolves and also walk that fine line between vulgarity and sexiness in terms of fashion POV.

We just see these brands differently. You see a Tom Ford man in a suit and a woman with a blouse with three buttons undone; I see them taking off those clothes and getting into the shower together. You see reality; I see brand image, marketing, and world-building fantasy. And to me, nothing can top those '90s Richard Avedon ads, especially the one with the five naked men and all the supermodels—that is Versace to me forever.