Armani Names Dario Vitale to Help Shape Its Next Chapter
By Alivia Gardner
The former Miu Miu and Versace designer will lead Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani accessories as the independent Italian house enters a period of creative and corporate transition.
A new chapter is beginning at Armani. The Italian fashion group has appointed Dario Vitale creative director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani accessories, making him the first person outside the Armani family to hold the role.
The appointment is significant for a house that has long protected a distinctive design language built around relaxed tailoring, restrained elegance and carefully controlled creative direction. Since Giorgio Armani’s death in September 2025, his niece Silvana Armani and longtime collaborator Leo Dell’Orco have continued to guide the house’s womenswear and menswear collections. Vitale now enters that structure with an immediate mandate to lead Emporio Armani while also overseeing accessories for the Giorgio Armani label.
Vitale arrives with experience inside two fashion houses known for strong and closely guarded identities. He spent approximately 15 years at Miu Miu before briefly serving as creative director of Versace, where he presented a single collection. His background makes him an intriguing choice for Armani: a designer familiar with both the demands of an international luxury business and the importance of preserving recognizable house codes.
His challenge will be evolution without disruption. Emporio Armani has traditionally offered a younger, more accessible expression of the Armani universe, but its appeal remains rooted in the quiet confidence associated with the house. As fashion increasingly reaches younger audiences through social media, celebrity dressing and collaborations, Vitale will have to explore new territory without losing the identity that has defined the brand for decades.
The appointment also arrives at a pivotal moment for the company. Armani is preparing for the planned sale of a 15 percent stake, part of the succession framework established by Giorgio Armani. Against that backdrop, Vitale’s arrival represents not only a creative decision but also a notable opening within a company historically known for keeping leadership close to its founder and inner circle.
Emporio Armani will present its Summer 2027 collection during Milan Fashion Week on September 24 in a presentation format rather than its customary runway show. The collection, however, was developed under Silvana Armani and Leo Dell’Orco and will serve as their final Emporio Armani outing before Vitale’s creative vision formally takes the stage. His first collection for the brand is expected for Fall/Winter 2027.
For an industry watching Armani navigate life beyond its founder, Vitale’s appointment introduces a compelling new voice—and raises the question of how one of Italian fashion’s most recognizable identities will evolve in its next era.
