Truth or Dario

Patrizio Bertelli Miuccia Prada Lorenzo Bertelli
In a meeting regarding Vitale’s departure, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversation, Miuccia told him that the Prada Group planned to acquire Versace and that she would promptly fire him if he took the job. Photo: Simona Granati - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images
Lauren Sherman
December 8, 2025

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The recent A.I. memes depicting Versace creative director Dario Vitale being shoved out of a window by Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace were disturbing on a lot of levels—but mostly because they didn’t veer too far from the truth, metaphorically speaking. Indeed, Vitale’s defenestration as the short-lived creative director of Versace, which was recently acquired by the Prada Group, was only half-unexpected. In many ways, Vitale was the victim of circumstance and bad luck. Late last year, Vitale had elected to leave Miu Miu, which frustrated Mrs. Prada, only to take a bet on himself at Versace, an appointment that naturally alienated Donatella—who happens to be her longtime friend. Perhaps the fix was in all along. Anyway, now Dario is famous, too.