Dario Vitale becomes Emporio Armani’s new creative director, taking on a historic role as the Armani Group begins its next era following Giorgio Armani’s legacy.
Emporio Armani has appointed Dario Vitale as its new creative director, handing the Italian designer responsibility for one of the most recognisable labels within the Armani universe. Vitale will also become creative director of Giorgio Armani Accessories, with both appointments taking effect immediately and signalling an important transformation within the Armani Group.
The decision carries particular significance because Vitale becomes the first external designer to assume creative control of one of the group’s lines. For decades, Giorgio Armani maintained direct oversight of his extensive fashion empire, making the arrival of a designer from outside the company a defining moment in its evolution.
Vitale arrives at Emporio Armani following a brief period at Versace, where he also made history as the first designer outside the Versace family to take charge of the house. He joined the Milanese brand in April 2025 before presenting his first Spring Summer 2026 collection during Milan Fashion Week that September.
However, one of the most influential chapters of Vitale’s career was his long tenure at Miu Miu. He joined the Prada-owned label in 2010 and remained there for 14 years, eventually becoming design director of ready-to-wear and head of image.
Working alongside Miuccia Prada, Vitale participated in a period of significant growth and cultural relevance for Miu Miu, as the label strengthened its position within contemporary fashion. His CV also includes earlier experience at Bottega Veneta, where he worked with Tomas Maier, and Dsquared2, alongside Dean and Dan Caten.
His new position places him at the helm of a brand founded by Giorgio Armani in 1981. Emporio Armani was originally created as a more accessible interpretation of the designer’s aesthetic, initially placing particular emphasis on denim while developing a youthful, metropolitan identity distinct from the Giorgio Armani mainline.
The appointment comes during a profound period of change for the company following the death of Giorgio Armani on 4 September 2025 at the age of 91. His final Emporio Armani collection, for Spring Summer 2026, was presented in Milan after his death, while Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco subsequently collaborated on the label’s most recent collection.
Both have welcomed Vitale into the company, highlighting the qualities that have historically defined Emporio Armani: experimentation, freedom and energy. Their support also establishes an important bridge between the founder’s legacy and the new creative structure being developed across the group.
Vitale, meanwhile, has described his appointment as both a major responsibility and an opportunity to contribute to a fashion house with an exceptionally clear and established design language. He thanked Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco for their welcome and expressed his enthusiasm for shaping the next stage of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories.
The restructuring does not mean Vitale will oversee the entire Armani fashion universe. The Giorgio Armani mainline remains under the creative direction of Silvana Armani for womenswear and Leo Dell’Orco for menswear, maintaining continuity through two figures who worked closely with the founder for many years.
Vitale nevertheless receives a significant creative mandate. Beyond redefining Emporio Armani’s younger, urban interpretation of the house codes, his responsibilities for Giorgio Armani Accessories give him another important category through which to influence the group’s future image.
