Dario Vitale has been appointed Creative Director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, the Armani Group announced. This move marks the first time the company has placed someone from outside the Armani family in charge of the creative direction of one of its brands. The appointment takes effect immediately.
The long-awaited move comes a year after the death of founder and owner Giorgio Armani, who passed away in September 2025 after leading the company since founding it in 1975.
For Vitale, it is his second time breaking that kind of barrier. In April 2025, he became the first designer outside the Versace family to take creative oversight of that fashion house’s designs. He left the role just eight months later, after the Prada Group acquired Versace. Before that, Vitale had worked for the Prada Group at Miu Miu.
Vitale brings extensive experience in the fashion industry, having worked with several leading companies over the course of his career. The Armani Group said he has developed a strong sensitivity to product, quality, consistency and contemporaneity — qualities it expects to shape the next phase of both brands.
His arrival is being framed as the start of a new chapter for the label, opening what the company described as a dialogue between innovation and identity. The Group said the move is designed to strengthen its creative structure and support its ongoing evolution, while remaining true to the aesthetic vision long associated with the Giorgio Armani name.
“I am honored to take on this dual role across Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani, and deeply grateful to Silvana and Leo for welcoming me into their world,” Vitale said. “Armani has a powerful legacy and unmistakable design language; a heritage that has spanned decades and shaped the history of fashion. I approach all of this with a deep sense of responsibility and excitement as we build upon that rich foundation, defining a new era together.”
Silvana Armani, Head of Womenswear Design, and Leo Dell’Orco, Head of Menswear Design at the Armani Group, welcomed the appointment, describing Emporio Armani as far more than a product line for the company.
“Emporio Armani is much more than a line for us: it is a reality to which we are deeply connected, having followed and shared its journey since the very beginning,” they said. “Emporio was born as a space of freedom, experimentation and energy, and we are convinced that Dario’s arrival in our team, as a talent already established on the international stage, will interpret its spirit with respect and authenticity.”
Giuseppe Marsocci, CEO and Managing Director of the Armani Group, called the appointment a significant milestone for the company.
“The appointment of Dario Vitale marks an important milestone for the Armani Group: a decision that strengthens our creative organization and confirms our commitment to looking ahead, consolidating the Group’s path of evolution while remaining faithful to Giorgio Armani’s values and vision,” Marsocci said. “Emporio Armani is a brand of strategic relevance for us and our partners around the world. Giorgio Armani accessories represent a great opportunity. We look to this new phase with enormous confidence.”
With Vitale now in place, the Armani Group’s leadership signaled confidence heading into what it called a new phase for both Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani’s accessories line.
