Dario Vitale named Emporio Armani creative director after Versace exit

Dario Vitale is the new creative director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, becoming the first outsider to lead an Armani line.

Dario Vitale has a new fashion house to lead, and this time the appointment carries particular weight. The Italian designer has been named creative director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, becoming the first person from outside the Armani family to take on the creative leadership of one of its lines.

The appointment, announced on Wednesday, September 16, comes a year after the death of Giorgio Armani and at a significant moment for the Italian fashion house as it begins to navigate life without its founder. Vitale will oversee both menswear and womenswear at Emporio Armani, as well as accessories for Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani. His first collection is expected in early 2027.

For Vitale, 43, the move also marks a major return to the centre of the fashion conversation after an unusually short stint at Versace.

Who is Dario Vitale?

Vitale arrives at Armani with an extensive track record in Italian luxury fashion. He spent around 15 years at Miu Miu, where he held a number of roles before becoming the brand's fashion image director. His time at the Prada-owned label coincided with its growing cultural influence and commercial momentum.

Before Miu Miu, Vitale also worked at Bottega Veneta and Dsquared2, building experience across some of Italy's most recognisable luxury names.

His next move was one of the biggest of his career. In 2025, Vitale was appointed creative director of Versace, becoming the first designer from outside the Versace family to take creative control of the house.

His tenure, however, lasted only one collection. He left Versace towards the end of 2025 following Prada Group's acquisition of the fashion house. His debut collection had nevertheless attracted considerable attention from the fashion industry.

Now, less than a year after his departure from Versace, Vitale has taken on another historic appointment.

In a statement shared following the announcement, Vitale acknowledged the weight of stepping into the Armani world and said he was approaching the role with both enthusiasm and responsibility.

“I am honored to take on this new role for Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, and I am deeply grateful to Silvana and Leo for welcoming me into their world,” Vitale said.

“Armani has an important legacy and an unmistakable style—a heritage that spans decades and has shaped the history of fashion. I approach this with a great sense of responsibility and enthusiasm to build upon these foundations and define a new era together.”

The appointment therefore comes with an obvious balancing act. Vitale is being asked to bring his own creative perspective to Emporio Armani while working within a brand identity that has been shaped by Giorgio Armani for more than four decades.

Why Dario Vitale's appointment is so significant

Giorgio Armani died in September 2025 aged 91, leaving behind one of Italy's most influential independent luxury groups. Following his death, his niece Silvana Armani and longtime collaborator Leo Dell'Orco have been overseeing the brand's creative direction.

Vitale's appointment represents the first time an external designer has been given creative control of an Armani label.

That makes Emporio Armani an important testing ground for what comes next. The line, founded in 1981, was created as a more youthful and accessible expression of Armani's design language, with a stronger connection to contemporary culture and experimentation.

Silvana Armani described Emporio as a brand built around “freedom, experimentation, and energy” and said Vitale's arrival would allow him to interpret its spirit “with respect and authenticity”.

The brand said his appointment opens a new chapter while maintaining a dialogue between innovation and identity.

Vitale's career also makes the appointment an intriguing one from a creative standpoint.

His long association with Miu Miu gave him experience with a brand that underwent a major cultural resurgence in recent years. He then moved to one of fashion's most recognisable houses in Versace, where he was tasked with following in the footsteps of the designers who had defined the label's bold identity. His time there was brief, but his debut collection was widely discussed within the industry.

Now he takes on Emporio Armani at another transitional moment. The house is preparing for its first full creative chapter without Giorgio Armani, while the wider Armani Group is also dealing with questions around succession and ownership following its founder's death. Vogue reports that Armani's will requires the company to pursue a sale of up to 54.9 per cent of the group within five years, adding another layer to the changes taking place around the business.