Donatella Versace hands over her position as chief designer

Donatella Versace clears the post of creative chief of the Italian fashion house Versace. The 69-year-old Chief Creative Officer from Versace was almost three decades. She took over the post in 1997 after the death of her brother Gianni. From April 1, she will be Chief Brand Ambassador of the luxury brand, said the Versace-Muttergesellschaft Capri Holdings.

In her new role, Versace will devote itself to the “philanthropic and charitable efforts” of the fashion house and represent the Versace brand worldwide as a well -known face. As the new creative director of the luxury group, Dario takes over vital. He previously worked for the Italian fashion house Miu Miu, a sister brand of the Prada fashion house.

“It has always been important to me to promote the next generation of designers. I am thrilled that Dario comes to us,” emphasized Donatella Versace. She is looking forward to seeing the brand with new eyes and remains connected to her: “Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart. It was the greatest honor of my life to take over my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was a real genius, but I hope that I also have something from his spirit and persistence.” She will continue to “remain the most passionate supporter”.

The fashion house was founded in 1978 by Donatella’s brother Gianni Versace. After his murder in 1997, Donatella took over the creative direction. According to its own information, the company has 230 boutiques and 638 licensed shops worldwide and, in addition to women’s, men’s and children’s fashion, also offers shoes, bags, accessories and perfume. The Versace empire also includes several hotels and an interior design division. According to media reports, Versace is faced with the takeover by the Italian competitor Prada. This could conclude the takeover of Versace for a purchase price of 1.5 billion euros in March. Neither Prada nor Versace owner Capri Holdings commented on the reports.