Dario Vitale’s short tenure ends as Prada resets Versace's creative direction

If fashion’s game of musical chairs has felt unusually frenetic this season, you’re not imagining it. Across the SS26 cycle, designer rotations have at times overshadowed the collections themselves, reflecting an industry where creative tenures are shrinking and corporate restructurings are accelerating. Data shows the average creative director tenure at major houses has dropped to about 3 years in the 2020s, down from nearly ten in the 1990s.

Just as the dust seemed to settle, the Prada Group confirmed the departure of Dario Vitale, less than a year into his tenure. The move follows Prada's acquisition of the brand and signals the arrival of a new creative vision under its new ownership.

Vitale’s appointment at Versace came shortly after his exit from Miu Miu, where he played a key role in the brand’s recent momentum: the label has been among Prada Group’s fastest-growing units, with retail sales rising 93 percent year-on-year in 2024 thanks in part to its renewed cultural relevance. While his reasons for leaving Miu Miu were never publicly detailed, the company offered the customary statement thanking him for his “outstanding contribution” — there was no suggestion of controversy.

What makes this moment striking is the sheer abruptness of his Versace exit. Vitale had been promoting campaign imagery on social media as late as the week prior, leading many insiders to speculate that the decision was made rapidly, just two days after the deal was finalised, and possibly without his advance awareness.

Industry sources say that Vitale’s Versace catwalk debut nearly did not happen and was meant to be a more low-key presentation, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding leadership during corporate change. And while senior figures such as Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace were notably absent from his first show, such absences often speak to internal transitions not yet ready for public disclosure.

Big groups, big changes

Creative change is a pattern that frequently follows ownership consolidation in luxury. When brands join major groups, whether LVMH, Kering, Richemont, or investment vehicles such as L Catterton or LVMH Luxury Ventures, restructurings typically accompany new strategic roadmaps. Larger groups bring capital, long-term brand positioning, and global distribution power, but also a rigorous approach to creative direction and brand coherence.

Versace itself has undergone intensified scrutiny in recent years. Under Capri's ownership, analysts noted the brand faced challenges familiar to European luxury labels managed by American groups: shifts in merchandising strategy, pressure for broad commercial appeal, and reduced investment in heritage storytelling. A reset under new leadership was widely expected (and needed).

A season unlikely to reach stores

Vitale’s SS26 collection for Versace may now become a fashion footnote, or a future case study in the volatility of creative leadership. Collections produced during transitional periods are often partially or entirely shelved, especially when new strategic directions take precedence.

For Vitale, the industry consensus remains sympathetic. He delivered a confident debut, navigated a turbulent ownership backdrop, and leaves with a strong Miu Miu track record behind him. Given current hiring patterns, dozens of major houses have changed creative directors since in the past two years, it is likely he won’t stay off the runway circuit for long.