In a shock announcement released by Versace today (March 13), Donatella Versace is set to leave her post as creative director of the brand. She assumes the new role of chief brand ambassador of Versace, but is officially taking a step back from design duties. Former Miu Miu design director Dario Vitale will be taking up the role of creative director.

“Championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me. I am thrilled that Dario Vitale will be joining us, and excited to see Versace through new eyes,” said Versace in a statement released today. “I want to thank my incredible design team and all the employees at Versace that I have had the privilege of working with for over three decades.”

Elsewhere in the statement, the designer also thanked her late brother Gianni, who founded the Versace brand. “It has been the greatest honour of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy. He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity,” she said. “In my new role as chief brand ambassador, I will remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”

In another statement, Vitale also expressed his excitement about joining the brand, and thanked both Versace siblings for their legendary contributions to fashion. “I am truly honoured to join Versace as the chief creative officer and to be a part of this special and powerful fashion luxury house created by Gianni and Donatella,” said the new creative director. “The house of Versace has a unique heritage that has spanned decades and has shaped the history of fashion. I want to express my sincere thank you to Donatella for her trust in me, and for her tireless dedication to the extraordinary brand that Versace is today. It is a privilege to contribute to the future growth of Versace and its global impact through my vision, expertise and dedication.”

Founded by the late, great Gianni Versace in 1978, Donatella took over as head of design following her brother’s tragic death in 1997. Their older brother, Santo Versace, became CEO, while Donatella’s daughter Allegra received a 50 per cent stake in the company. 

During her time designing for her family’s namesake brand, Donatella produced some of fashion’s most memorable moments, including the dress that launched Google Images: the barely-there green silk chiffon gown Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammys in 2000. The dress has its own Wikipedia page and went viral again in 2019, when J Lo walked for Versace wearing it once again.

In another throwback, she reunited the 90s supers at her SS18 show, bringing a tear to the eye of those in the room as Carla Bruni, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen returned to the catwalk wearing Versace’s signature gold chainmail. And that’s not to mention her wider cultural impact: Lady Gaga named a song after her, Penelope Cruz played her in a TV show (American Crime Story), and she made a cameo in Zoolander.

The peroxide legend is certified fashion royalty. Her departure from the brand comes as an unexpected development amid the industry’s many moving parts. While rumours of fashion’s endlessly changing creative directors are the topic of conversation at shows, Donatella leaving Versace was the announcement no one predicted. Her presence in fashion will be sorely missed.