Donatella retires as a creative director, Dario Vitale to take over

Donatella Versace is to withdraw from its role as creative director at Fashion House Versace, after nearly 30 years.

She has held the position since 1997 and has taken over after the murder of her brother Gianni.

Versace is watching hundreds of fashion campaigns for the Italian brand, and also designs hotels and cars.

The 69-year-old will be replaced by Dario Vitale, who is a former director of MIU MIU design and will take on a new role for the brand ambassador.

It comes against the background of speculation that the Prada group is interested in buying Versace by Capri Holdings Group, which paid € 2 billion (£ 1.67 million) for the 2018 fashion house.

In a statement issued on ThursdayCapri Holdings said Versace will already “devote itself to the support of Versace's philanthropic and charity endeavors and will remain a brand defender worldwide.”

He added that the messages are part of a “deliberate inheritance plan” and lending Vitale as a “strong leader of design” whose “talent and vision will be essential for Versace's growth”.

The company's statement also thanked Versace for everything she had done for the brand and for playing “an integral role in the company's global success”.

Versace also publishes her Own statement on Instagram For her 12 million followers, saying that it is “the greatest honor of my life to continue my brother Gianni's inheritance.”

“Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart,” she said.

“Championship of the next generation of designers has always been important to me. I'm glad Dario Vitale will join us and get excited to see Versace through new eyes.”

Donatella Versace has dressed some of the largest stars in the world – including Madonna, Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

She famous designed the Green Jungle dress for Jennifer Lopez in 2000 and Michelle Obama's dress for her last 2016 state dinner.

Versace is also the embodiment of the fashion house it has built – it is always visible in brightly colored prints that are synonymous with brand and platinum blond hair, which means that it always stands out.

Versace, which was founded for the first time in Milan in 1978 by Donatella and her Santo and Gianni brothers, was sold to the Michael Kors group in 2018, which was then folded at Capri Holdings in 2019.

The Italian studio represents 20% of Capri's revenue from 2024 € 5.2 billion (4.3 billion British pounds).