Milan (Italy) (AFP) – The Armani fashion house, whose founder and owner Giorgio Armani died last year, named Prada veteran Dario Vitale as the new creative director of its Emporio Armani line on Wednesday. Vitale will be “the first to hold this role outside the Armani family,” the luxury house said of the longtime Miu Miu designer, who spent nine months of 2025 as the creative director of Versace.
Besides helming Emporio Armani, the company’s secondary, more affordable line, Vitale will also hold the position of creative director of Giorgio Armani Accessories. “I am honoured to take on this dual role across Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani,” Vitale, 43, said in a statement. “Armani has a powerful legacy and unmistakable design language; a heritage that has spanned decades and shaped the history of fashion. I approach all of this with a deep sense of responsibility and excitement,” he said.
Giorgio Armani’s niece, Silvana Armani, remains as head of women’s design at the Armani Group, with the designer’s longtime companion, designer Leo Dell’Orco, leading men’s. The two designers said that the Emporio Armani brand was about “freedom, experimentation and energy.” “We are convinced that Dario’s arrival in our team, as a talent already established on the international stage, will interpret its spirit with respect and authenticity,” they said in a statement.
At Versace, Vitale was also the first non-family member to oversee design, taking the reins from Donatella Versace — sister of founder Gianni Versace — in April 2025. That role was cut short, however, by Prada’s acquisition of the flashy luxury label famous for its Medusa logo, owned by Capri Holdings Limited. Vitale departed in December.
At Miu Miu, Prada’s more youthful line, the designer oversaw a stretch of soaring sales that helped buoy the company in an otherwise tough sales environment for luxury fashion.
© 2024 AFP
