Dario Vitale’s Versace debut: From red carpet glam to everyday luxury

Italian fashion house Versace unveiled the first collection under its new creative director, Dario Vitale, at Milan Fashion Week, surprising audiences with its bold and provocative vision. Following Julia Roberts’ recent appearance in a Versace blazer and jeans at the Venice Film Festival, the house’s new direction sparked lively online discussion.

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“I’ve never been fascinated by fantasy. I’m much more interested in reality,” Vitale told WWD just hours before the show. He emphasized that his goal was to create a collection rooted in everyday life, focusing on pieces that are “actually wearable.”

Rather than the traditional glamorous gowns synonymous with Versace’s red-carpet image, Vitale showcased clothing infused with retro charm and streetwear sensibilities: T-shirts, sweaters, vests, blousons, and jeans—sometimes featuring open button closures that add a subtle sensuality—evoking the spirit of 1980s New York or the East Village.

The collection referenced iconic Warhol prints, such as Marilyn Monroe imagery from the 1991 series, reinterpreted through Vitale’s lens to also nod to cultural icons like Jackie Kennedy, Sophia Loren, and Rudolph Valentino.

Vitale’s style blends bright colors and daring patterns with streetwise ease and vintage aesthetics, offering a fresh take that may surprise longtime Versace fans accustomed to Donatella Versace’s signature red-carpet glamour.