5 Designers Who Could Lead Versace Next

Another one bites the dust. Dario Vitale has stepped down as creative director of Versace after barely one season — just months after introducing his first collection and only days after the Prada Group completed its €1.25 billion acquisition of the house. His departure underscores the volatility of today’s luxury ecosystem and leaves one of fashion’s most ostentatious brands without a clear successor. 

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Vitale’s exit is notable for more than its timing. He was the first creative lead at Versace who wasn’t part of the Versace family, chosen following Donatella Versace’s nearly three-decade creative reign after the tragedy that claimed her brother Gianni Versace in 1997. 

His debut Spring/Summer 2026 collection earned buzz for modern references and nuanced reinterpretations of house codes, but speculation swirled that the Prada Group’s takeover — and a desire for tighter control over creative direction — played into the split. Versace’s official statement thanked him for his contributions during a transitional period, though it offered few clues about the how or why behind the exit. 

The question on everyone’s lips: who truly gets Versace?

Anthony Vaccarello

Anthony Vaccarello has kept Saint Laurent at the cutting edge of sexy tailoring and sleek glamour, turning monochrome suiting and midnight sensuality into commercial gold. Rumors suggest that with his savoir-faire in seductive silhouettes and clean, confident lines, he could reposition Versace’s aesthetic back toward the overt sexuality and rock ‘n’ roll edge that defined its heyday.

At Saint Laurent, he’s shown he can balance wearability with fetishistic allure — a foundation that, if applied to Versace’s baroque penchant for bold prints and body-aware cuts, could recapture the brand’s cultural lightning. His proven track record makes him a top contender if Versace aims to recenter sexiness at the core of its identity.

Olivier Rousteing

Another name generating buzz is Olivier Rousteing, former creative director of Balmain, where he reigned from 2011 until his departure (Balmain hasn’t publicly listed a new creative director yet). Under Rousteing, Balmain became synonymous with body celebration and runway spectacle — attributes shared with Versace’s DNA. A designer who understands how to translate sculptural silhouettes into cultural currency, Rousteing could bring synergy and theatrical flair that feels natural to Versace’s legacy.

His work often fused glamour with attitude, and his ability to work with celebrity ambassadors and digital narratives could lend new life to Versace’s storytelling at a time it needs both continuity and transformation.

Hedi Slimane

If Versace wants seduction delivered with a clean, lethal line, Hedi Slimane is the wildcard worth watching. He’s spent his career turning bodies into silhouettes with attitude, reshaping Dior Homme, Saint Laurent, and Celine with razor-cut tailoring and nocturnal glamour.

His world isn’t baroque or bombastic, but it is obsessed with the body—long limbs, low necklines, and clothes that cling like a late-night confession. Slimane’s version of sensuality is relentless, cinematic, and always photographed in stark, unforgettable frames.

Pieter Mulier

Since taking the helm, Pieter Mulier has returned the house to its original obsession: the body as architecture. His Alaïa is sensual and sculptural without stiffness.

That sensitivity makes him an intriguing contender for Versace. Where the house has always celebrated the body loudly, Mulier understands how to exalt it with precision. His approach to cut, curve, and proportion could bring a refined physicality to Versace’s sensual codes—still sexy, still confident, but sharpened through mastery of form. If Versace is ready to explore allure through control of silhouette rather than spectacle alone, Mulier could be a quietly powerful choice.

Donatella Versace

Fashion lore rarely closes a chapter without a twist. Donatella herself remains chief brand ambassador and could very well be the stabilizing force Versace needs. Her signature voice — overtly sexy, loud, and unapologetically bold — is the house’s original pulse. Why look elsewhere if the very DNA of Versace still resonates with its audience, and the backlash against Vitale’s reinterpretations pointed to a longing for the familiar Versace essence?

A return to hands-on creative leadership, whether solo or in tandem with another designer, could ensure that the house’s future remains anchored in the sensual confidence that made it iconic.

Versace’s creative leadership switch reflects a larger truth: legacy brands can’t simply transplant fresh talent without honoring the spirit that made them relevant. Vitale’s brief run, while praised in pockets, illustrates the challenges of translating house DNA through a new lens — especially amid corporate upheaval. The next creative director will need both reverence for Versace’s heritage and the vision to propel it into the future.

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Photos: SAINT LAURENT, BALMAIN, DIOR, ALAÏA, and VERSACE

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5 Designers Who Could Lead Versace Next
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