When Italian designer Dario Vitale exited Versace after only a single season, the announcement was met with some disappointment from the fashion community: here was a designer who had proposed a distinct new vision for the Italian house, imbued with a charge of sex appeal inspired by the early collections of Gianni Versace that felt unmistakably now. In a review of his first (and what would be only) collection, we called him a ‘disruptive force, stripping back conceptions [of Versace] and ushering in an energetic new vision’.
Today, though, Dario Vitale – who was at Miu Miu for 15 years, including as design director, before heading to Versace – has taken on a major new role as creative director of Emporio Armani, as well as heading up Giorgio Armani’s accessories line. Coming in the wake of founder Giorgio Armani’s death in September last year, the appointment marks the first time someone from outside of the family will undertake these roles. It ends months of speculation as to who would succeed in securing Vitale for his next move.
Dario Vitale
A statement from the house today (16 September) said that the ‘arrival marks the beginning of a new chapter in the brand’s history’, with Vitale chosen for ‘his keen sensitivity to product, quality, consistency and contemporaneity’. Silvana Armani, Mr Armani’s niece and head of womenswear design, and Leo Dell’Orco, head of menswear design of the Armani Group, say that Dario will interpret Emporio Armani’s spirit of ‘freedom, experimentation and energy’ with ‘respect and authority’.
‘I am honoured to take on this dual role across Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani, and deeply grateful to Silvana and Leo for welcoming me into their world,’ says Vitale, who was born close to Naples and began his career at Bottega Veneta under Tomas Maier and DSquared2.
A look from Dario Vitale’s debut, S/S 2026 show for Versace, which would be his last
‘Armani has a powerful legacy and unmistakable design language; a heritage that has spanned decades and shaped the history of fashion,’ he continues. ‘I approach all of this with a deep sense of responsibility and excitement as we build upon that rich foundation, defining a new era together.’
That era begins with immediate effect, says the Armani Group, though it has not yet been announced when Vitale will make his runway debut.