MILAN – Donatella Versace was named brand ambassador of the fashion house she has helped grow on her own for the past 28 years, following the death of her beloved brother Gianni.
On Thursday, Versace announced that the designer would be succeeded by Dario Vitale, named chief creative officer, effective April 1.
Dario Vitale
Stef Mitchell/Courtesy of Versace
As first reported by WWD in December, sources said that the contract of the designer, who held the role of chief creative officer of the Italian brand, was up in February.
In 2018, Donatella Versace reached a $2.1 billion deal to sell her family’s company to Michael Kors Holdings, which subsequently changed its name to Capri Holdings. Sources said Prada Group is in exclusive due diligence with Capri about buying both Jimmy Choo and Versace and have about mid-March to conclude a deal, if one is finalized. Prada could in turn flip Jimmy Choo to another buyer to focus on Versace.
Donatella Versace, Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen on the runway at the Versace Spring 2018 show.
Stéphane Feugère/WWD
Donatella Versace has been fundamental in spearheading the brand. In addition to her work as a designer, she has acquired A-list popularity on social media, and is widely recognized for her philanthropic work, her support of the marginalized, and her initiatives to sustain the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. She has also supported young designers such as Christopher Kane, who designed Versus with her for years, Jonathan Anderson and Anthony Vaccarello, attending the latter’s show for Saint Laurent on Tuesday night in Paris.
Singer Britney Spears and Donatella Versace at the Versace Spring 2003 runway show in Milan.
Fairchild Archive/Penske Media
Sources said Capri chairman and chief executive officer John Idol and Donatella Versace have often clashed over the strategy for the brand, further fueling the speculation over the designer’s contract renewal.
Donatella Versace was born in Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, the younger sister to Gianni and Santo. The company was founded in 1978 and, while Santo dealt with the business, Donatella started working beside Gianni, and was also considered his muse.
She supervised campaigns by photographers such as Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton, and in 1994 she became head designer of Versus.
Jennifer Lopez and Donatella Versace on the catwalk
WWD
She has helped build the brand by connecting luxury with the mood of the street, curious for novelty and leveraging a deep understanding of pop culture.
Besides supervising the successful Versace Home line, a pioneer in the segment as a fashion brand, she has been overseeing fine jewelry, timepieces, fragrances and the Versace interior design facility as well as the palazzo Versace hotels in Australia, on the Gold Coast, in Dubai and Macau.
In December 2017, the British Fashion Council bestowed her the Fashion Icon Award during the Fashion Awards, and in June 2018, she received the International Award by the CFDA.
In Sept. 2018, the designer received the CNMI Award in recognition of sustainability at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards.
UNITED STATES – DECEMBER 08: Madonna, Donatella Versace and Elton John (l. to r.) get together at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for opening of the Costume Institute’s exhibition of the fashions of the late Gianni Versace. (Photo by Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
NY Daily News via Getty Images
