Meet Dario Vitale, the new Chief Creative Officer at Versace

Fashion’s musical chairs continue, but a new luxury House has entered the chat. Overnight, Versace announced that Donatella Versace will step down as Creative Director, after a nearly 30-year tenure. And, while some Houses leave us guessing about who will fill the top spot for months at a time, Versace has already appointed a successor, in designer Dario Vitale.

“I am truly honoured to join Versace as the Chief Creative Officer and to be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury House created by Gianni and Donatella,” Vitale said via a statement on Instagram. “The House of Versace has a 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.”

So, who is the designer set to lead Versace into a new era? Everything we know about Dario Vitale, here.

Who is Dario Vitale?

While Vitale has kept a relatively low profile as far as Creative Directors go, his CV tells a different story. The designer graduated from Milan fashion school Istituto Marangoni back in 2006, and went on to spend a year at Dsquared2. Shortly after, he cut his teeth at Bottega Veneta before, in 2010, embarking on what would become a decades-long stint at Miu Miu. Here, he rose through the ranks as Design Director of Ready-to-Wear, and later Head of Image, as the label also grew to become one of the most prolific and hotly-sought in the luxury fashion sphere. In January, he left his posting at Miu Miu and now, takes on his latest role at Versace.

What’s next for Donatella Versace?

While Donatella might be stepping down from the Creative Director role, she’s not parting ways with her family brand entirely. The younger sister of designer Gianni Versace, who founded the label in 1978, Donatella took over the brand in 1997, after Gianni’s passing.

Taking to Instagram, she shared plans for her next steps. “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,” she wrote.

“It has been the greatest honour 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. In my new role as Chief Brand Ambassador, I will remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”