It may only be seven days since the shock news that Donatella Versace was stepping down from Versace, but the legendary designer is already busying herself with another job. Today, the International Woolmark Prize announced that Donatella would not only be joining the jury for the 2025 award, but would be heading up the entire thing as chair of judges. The news comes as somewhat of a return for Donatella, who judged the prize back in 2013 alongside Victoria Beckham, Diane von Furstenberg and the late Italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani.

Joining Donatella on the 2025 panel are Dazed’s very own Ib Kamara, who last November was announced as the event’s guest artistic director, along with celebrity stylist and “image architect” Law Roach, plus American DJ and producer Honey Dijon. Elsewhere, filling in the rest of the panel are fashion journalist Tim Blanks, Zegna artistic director Alessandro Sartori, plus Ayo Edebiri and Saoirse Ronan’s stylist Danielle Goldberg.

The fact that Donatella’s immediate, post-Versace move is to support the careers of her fellow designers comes as no shock. In her outgoing message as chief creative officer, she said that “championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me,” which is evident from her previous collaborations. At little sister line Versus, Donatella has worked with the likes of Christopher Kane, Jonathan Anderson and Anthony Vacarello, who were all drafted in to design for the brand in their early careers. Donatella and Anderson even joined forces in the pages of Dazed back in 2013, when she crowned the young Irish designer a “genius” (you can revisit that conversation here).

Back to 2025 though, and the eight designers competing for the Woolmark Prize are Duran Lantink (The Netherlands), Ester Manas and Balthazar Delierre of Ester Manas (Belgium), Louis-Gabriel Nouchi (France), Meryll Rogge (Belgium), Luar’s Rual Lopez (USA), Luca Lin of Act No. 1 (Italy), Standing Ground’s Michael Stewart (Ireland) and Diotima’s Rachel Scott (USA).

Those eight finalists are set to produce six Merino wool looks – either as part of an AW25 collection or as a standalone offering – which highlight the fabric’s “innate versatility, innovative nature and eco-credentials.” Donatella and co will then put their heads together and pick a winner in Milan on April 2, and their brand will receive the increased prize fund of $300,000 AUD (about £145,000). Previous winners include designers from Yves Saint Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld and Giorgio Armani to Matty Bovan, Saul Nash and 2023 winner Lagos Space Programme.

Scroll through the gallery above to revist Donatella’s final collection at Versace.