Dario Vitale Named Creative Director Emporio Armani, Giorgio Armani Accessories

MILAN – After months of speculation about Dario Vitale’s next move, the Armani Group on Wednesday said the Italian designer was joining as creative director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, the first to hold this role outside the Armani family. The appointment is effective immediately.

Following the exit of Vitale from Versace last December, after merely one collection, the designer has been the subject of intense speculation about where he would land next. Rumors had Vitale in talks with brands ranging from Kenzo to Saint Laurent, and, most recently, Emporio Armani, although Leo Dell’Orco, in charge of menswear at the Armani Group, dismissed the speculation during Milan Men’s Fashion Week at the end of June.

Sources say that after the death of Giorgio Armani, his heirs, including Dell’Orco, were considering bringing into the fold a young designer and that Vitale had indeed been contacted but that he was one of many and that nothing had been signed – until today’s confirmation.

In a joint statement, Silvana Armani, head of womenswear design at the Armani Group, and Dell’Orco, said: “Emporio Armani is much more than a line for us: it is a reality to which we are deeply connected, having followed and shared its journey since the very beginning. Emporio was born as a space of freedom, experimentation and energy, and 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.”

Giuseppe Marsocci, CEO and managing director of the Armani Group said this appointment “marks an important milestone” for the group. It is “a decision that strengthens our creative organization and confirms our commitment to looking ahead, consolidating the Group’s path of evolution while remaining faithful to Giorgio Armani’s values and vision. Emporio Armani is a brand of strategic relevance for us and our partners around the world. Giorgio Armani accessories represent a great opportunity. We look to this new phase with enormous confidence.”

The attention on Vitale never died because he contributed to the growth of Miu Miu for years and because of his singular collection for Versace in September 2025. While divisive, it left a considerable number of retailers and editors hungry for more, receiving positive reviews for his colorful and audacious designs that he said embraced Gianni Versace’s legacy.

“I am honored to take on this dual role across Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani, and deeply grateful to Silvana and Leo for welcoming me into their world,” stated Vitale. “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 as we build upon that rich foundation, defining a new era together.”

Vitale was named chief creative officer of Versace in March 2025, but left nine months later after the closure of the deal that saw Prada Group acquire the Italian brand from Capri Holdings for an enterprise value of 1.25 billion euros. In the meantime, Donatella Versace had been named chief brand ambassador and left the creative director role after almost three decades at the helm of the label.

At Versace, he was the first designer outside the founding family to lead the creative direction of the house. Before that post, Vitale was ready-to-wear design director at Miu Miu, which he left in January 2025 after 15 years. Born in 1983, Vitale began his design education at Istituto Marangoni and worked with Tomas Maier at Bottega Veneta.

Following the death of Giorgio Armani, Dell’Orco, the designer’s longtime partner was named in charge of the men’s division and chairman of the group’s board with 40 percent of the voting shares; Armani’s niece Silvana was appointed the group’s women’s creative director. She is also a member of the board.

All eyes are on the group because this month could see it begin a sale process, in accordance with the designer’s will, which named LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, EssilorLuxottica or L’Oréal as potential and welcomed investors.

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