Donatella’s tenure was nothing short of legendary. She took over the reins of the brand after the tragic murder of her brother, Gianni Versace, in 1997, and turned it into a global powerhouse of full-blown glamour. From Jennifer Lopez’s iconic jungle dress that practically broke the internet before breaking the internet was a thing, to dressing every A-lister worth their salt, Donatella made sure Versace was synonymous with ‘extra’ in the best way possible.
But let’s not kid ourselves. Stepping down doesn’t mean Donatella is fading into obscurity. That’s not how it works in business, especially in the higher climes of the design business. She’s taking on the role of chief brand ambassador, basically a fancy way of saying she’ll still be the face of Versace, just with fewer deadlines and presumably more champagne. Meanwhile, former Miu Miu design director Dario Vitale has some big, gold-studded, ‘nastro Gianni’ bow-attached Dalmatian Gianni Ribbon Slingback Pumps to fill. Will he rise to the occasion? Or crumble under the weight of Versace’s opulent legacy? Only time – and the next Met Gala – will tell. It would be worth remembering, though, that Donatella’s appointment itself had caused a flutter in a male-dominated world of high fashion. For now, let’s raise a glass to Donatella, the queen who made fashion fun, fearless and fabulously over-the-top.
