Donatella Versace- The Flamboyant Empress Of The Versace Empire

Grazie mille, Donatella!

The woman who defined the sexy and glamorous identity of Versace for almost 30 years is now leaving the job of Creative Director for the brand. Marking the end of an era, Donatella will now become the Chief Brand Ambassador for Versace, to ensure and carry forward the legacy of her brother Gianni Versace, who founded the elite Italian fashion brand in 1978. Her departure signals a major shift in luxury fashion, as Versace prepares for a new chapter under fresh creative leadership.

Donatella Versace, now 69, took over the reins of the brand in 1997 after the infamous murder of her brother Gianni Versace. The role she played as a Creative Director was instrumental in shaping the identity of the “new” Versace in the modern era. During her tenure, the brand expanded its global reach while staying true to its roots of being unapologetically risqué, bold, and glamorous. On Thursday, March 12, she broke the news on Instagram, announcing Dario Vitale (formerly the design director at Miu Miu) as the new Creative Director of Versace from April 1, 2025.

The post read, “Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. I am thrilled that Dario Vitale will be joining us, and excited to see Versace through new eyes. I want to thank my incredible design team and all the employees at Versace that I have had the privilege of working with for over three decades.” She further continued, “It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was a true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity. In my new role as Chief Brand Ambassador, I will remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”

As the fashion industry braces itself for this major transition, in this blog, we take a look at Donatella’s iconic tenure at Versace.

Donatella- The Early Years

Born on May 2, 1955, Donatella Versace was born the youngest of four siblings in Reggio Calabria, Italy. After her older sister, Tina, died of a tetanus infection at the age of 12, Donatella, Gianni, and Santo were left to carry forward the Versace name. In 1972, Gianni, the second eldest brother moved to Milan to start his fashion career. The next year, Donatella moved to Florence to study foreign languages. Although young Donatella aspired to become a teacher, she frequently visited Gianni in Milan to assist him with his blooming career in fashion.

When Versace was founded in Milan in 1978, Donatella assumed the role of vice president. From 1978 to 1997, she largely played the part of her brother’s right hand and sharpest critic, focusing mainly on her lines- Young Versace and Versus. But everything changed in the blink of an eye in 1997 when Gianni was shot and killed outside his Miami Beach home by American serial killer Andrew Cunanan. After a lengthy leave, Donatella remerged as the creative director and vice president of the Italian house.

Versace Under Donatella

The first herculean task that Donatella undertook after assuming the role of creative director was to take Versace through a design reinvention. After her brother’s death, she had to remove Gianni’s inspirations and stylings to make the brand her own. She significantly increased Versace’s reach in markets across the globe and enhanced its reputation by collaborating with artists such as Madonna, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, and more. Versace also joined hands with celebrities such as Kate Moss, Elton John, Prince Charles, and more to create capsule collections.

Donatella's Versace was sexy, bold, glamorous, and unapologetically authentic. Her risqué direction turned out one such creation- the plunging green dress worn by Jennifer Lopez at the 2000 Grammys. The dress was instantly labeled as a classic and reportedly led to the creation of Google Images. Versace also participated in several of the company’s high-profile business collaborations and partnerships that were intended to pursue new markets and consumers, including one with the automaker Lamborghini beginning in 2006 and another with the retail clothing chain H&M in 2011.

Iconic Versace Looks Designed By Donatella