Dario Vitale debuts as Versace creative director with an intimate Milan Fashion Week show

MILAN — Dario Vitale debuted as Versace's creative director during Milan Fashion Week at an intimate event staged across two floors of a 17th-century palazzo, drawing hundreds of VIPs and fans who gathered outside the venue, waving green and light-blue balloons in support and anticipation of the new era.

Vitale's collection delivered a high-octane revival of the house's overtly sexualized aesthetic from the 1980s and 1990s, with snug high-waisted jeans cinched tightly, open-sided T-shirts, and backless dresses paired with bursts of primary color. The mood was reinforced by a soundtrack featuring George Michael, Prince, and the Eurythmics, underscoring a sense of flamboyant nostalgia. Vitale is the third creative director in Versace's history after Gianni Versace and his sister Donatella Versace, who has continued as brand ambassador while Vitale took the helm on April 1. The Prada Group is nearing completion of a deal to acquire Versace by year’s end, a context that makes the transition particularly scrutinized.

Vitale, who previously worked at Miu Miu, spoke backstage about his intimate connection to Versace’s codes, saying he grew up with the brand’s bold, unapologetic attitude and that the character of the house felt almost like a cultural touchstone. He framed his mission as less about reinterpreting archive pieces and more about recapturing the spirit of Gianni Versace, the founder whose legacy he aims to honor while moving the house forward.

What is sexy, Vitale suggested, is not a moment but an experience: the dress left completely open in the back to capture the moment before it drops, or reimagining the everyday Italian uniform of undershirt, shirt, and sweater into a provocative form. He described constructing a staging that emphasizes decadence: inside the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana art gallery, rooms were styled as a noble home in disarray, with silver laid out for polishing, a dog bed in a corner, a work computer on, and a bed left unmade, even featuring Vitale's own sheets. He noted that the invitation—an intimate love letter quoting Keats—was intended to emphasize human connection and memory rather than formality.

Outside, fans crowded the surrounding streets, with Chinese pop culture figures Ding Yuxi and Jingyi Ju among those fans waving green and light-blue balloons. The guest list also included fashion and entertainment luminaries such as Romeo Beckham, Lily McInerny, Hyunjin, and the AllDay Project, underscoring Versace's continuing cultural pull as it navigates leadership changes and a major corporate transition.

Vitale's ascent positions him as the third creative director in Versace’s modern history, following Gianni Versace and Donatella Versace. Donatella remains a central figure as brand ambassador, signaling continuity for a house defined by its audacious branding and sensuality. The brewing acquisition by Prada Group adds a layer of strategic significance to Vitale’s early work, with observers watching to see how the collection’s bold nostalgia will translate amid broader corporate changes and the evolving luxury market.

The reception to Vitale’s debut suggests a willingness among buyers and fans to embrace a return to the house’s glamour-forward roots, tempered by a contemporary sensibility aimed at younger audiences. As the fashion week continues, Vitale’s team will be watched closely for how the designer balances the brand’s legacy with the demands of a new ownership structure and a rapidly shifting industry landscape.