Among all designers who featured a debut collection for a large house during September Fashion Week, Dario Vitale had undoubtedly one of the most discreet profiles.
Prior to his appointment as a new creative director of Versace in April, Vitale was rarely mentioned in the press and virtually unknown to the general public – unlike his predecessor, which became synonymous with the brand, when no more recognizable than herself.
This is why Vitale’s first parade for Versace has been so awaited by fashion editors, buyers and enthusiasts. Questions arise about what the Neapolitan designer – the first outside the family to occupy the position – would bring to the historic Italian house, which was acquired by the Prada group in a historical agreement of $ 1.38 billion (about $ 7.5 billion), scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
The answers finally came on Friday night, when Vitale presented his first collection for the brand. What was originally an intimate event became a complete parade with high profile guests, including Bianca Jagger, Mia Khalifa, Romeo Beckham and South Korean rapper Hyunjin.
The address in the invitation-which came in the form of a passionate letter quoting the English poet John Keats-indicated that it would be in downtown Milan. But it was only on arrival that many guests found that the place was the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, a historic art gallery full of masterpieces by Caravaggio and Rafael.
The guests settled on two floors on different rooms, each in a slight state of disorder – from the office with an open patience game in the desk, to the bed undone with scattered shirts, the space looked like a private residence. It was an appropriate scenario for the new Versace designs that the parade notes described as “an expression of freely lived life, fully, without excuses or restrictions.”
In fact, the clothes were sensual, colorful and uninhibited, with a touch of the 80s. There were low -cut tank tops, striped pants, leather jackets and sparkling dresses, worn by models that paraded to the sound of a lively soundtrack that included Prince, George Michael and Eurythmics.
Some characteristic reasons for Versace also appeared, such as the symbol of medusa in cardigans or sparkling plaid patterns in dresses – referring to the look worn by Claudia Schiffer on the brand’s catwalk in 2023.
Growing up in Italy meant that Vitale was familiar with Versace’s codes early on, as he revealed to a group of editors after the parade. The sense of familiarity is waterproof, he said, making comparisons with pop culture. “It’s almost like Coca-Cola, you know. Everyone knows Versace, it’s very popular.” Thus, by exploring the brand archives, he sought to extract “the essence of Gianni (the deceased founder).” Instead of being inspired by specific pieces, he wondered, “What is the spirit of Versace beyond clothes?”
There were also many shirts, which despite being a fundamental part of Versace’s heritage, seem to have returned to focus only now. At the Venice Film Festival in August, Hollywood stars Julia Roberts and Amanda Seyfried voluntarily shared the same Versace look: a striped shirt combined with high -waisted jeans – the latter, according to Vitale, is “very my face.” Several versions of this look appeared throughout the parade, some accessorized with chains attached to the belt of the models. “The idea of having something at the high waist is almost like an attitude, of being in control,” said Vitale.
The overlap of clothes was also featured. It was evident in Vitale himself, who wore a sports shirt under a blue shirt and a caramel leather jacket of the coveted luxury brand Miu Miu, where he worked earlier. “There was this rule when I was a child that when dressing, you always wear a t-shirt, a shirt and a sweater. So, for me, these are the foundations of any wardrobe, dressing daily,” he said. Overlay, when done with intention, can add depth, texture and interest to a look rather than simply classic and conservative.
Vitale added, “I wanted to create something very sexy from that.”
Vitale’s debut is an impactful proposal that offers an alternative to neutral tones and soft tailoring (considered as synonyms of refined taste) that dominated Milan catwalks in recent years. And if the parade, along with the Prada Spring-Summer 2026 collection presented earlier this week (which featured acidic colors like neon, pink and green orange), will all be wearing a lot more colorful clothes next year.
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