Vitale, who was appointed Creative Director of Versace in April 2025, will no longer be with Versace come December 12, 2025, following the acquisition of Versace by Prada Group. His unexpected departure creates concerns over unstable management, new ownership changing Versace's strategic direction, and difficulty adapting to the transition into a new management format for Versace.
On March 17th, 2025, Vitale became Versace’s Creative Director after Donatella Versace, who had been with the company since its inception, resigned. During Milan Fashion Week in September 2025, Vitale had the opportunity to show his first collection for Versace; however, less than 48 hours after the Prada Group acquired Versace, it was announced that he would not remain at the company and would leave due to a mutual agreement between him and the board of directors. Until a new Creative Director is appointed, the Chief Executive Officer of Versace will oversee all creative aspects of the brand.
Several theories have arisen as explanations for Vitale's exit from the fashion company. First, with Prada's recent purchase of the brand, a new ownership structure may elect to hire a creative director whose visions align with theirs rather than choosing someone who worked for another brand; therefore, having an outsider like Vitale, who was previously a designer for Miu Miu, would not be consistent with their long-term strategy. Secondly, though his launch collection received some positive reviews, his design philosophy diverged too greatly from Versace's established brand image as bold and flamboyant.
Some insiders indicate that the timing of the transaction may have been related to other events going on at the time of the deal. The fact that it was completed just days prior to Mr. Vitale leaving appears to suggest that this transition was agreed upon by the board as a component of a new direction for the company. In the meantime, there are various theories being discussed among fans of the company as well as fashion social media users.
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