Pieter Mulier Expected to Lead Versace Under Prada Group
Succeeding Dario Vitale.
Summary
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Pieter Mulier is widely expected to be named the next Creative Director of Versace, following the brand’s official acquisition by the Prada Group for €1.25 billion EUR
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The move follows the sudden exit of Dario Vitale, who departed the house on December 12 after only eight months
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Mulier’s appointment would reunite him with longtime collaborator Raf Simons and signals Prada’s intent to aggressively relaunch Versace
The fashion world is bracing for a seismic shift as reports indicate that Pieter Mulier, the current creative mastermind behind Alaïa, is the front-runner to become the next Creative Director of Versace. The potential appointment comes on the heels of the Prada Group’s blockbuster €1.25 billion EUR acquisition of the house from Capri Holdings, a move that officially brought the Medusa empire back into Italian hands earlier this month.
WWD reported that sources have noted that if Mulier will succeed Dario Vitale, whose abrupt departure on December 12 — after just one critically acclaimed season — sent shockwaves through the industry. Insiders suggest that Prada leadership, spearheaded by Executive Chairman Lorenzo Bertelli, is seeking a visionary who can move beyond “niche” aesthetics to quickly scale Versace’s global commercial footprint. Mulier, a long-time right-hand to Raf Simons, is viewed as the ideal candidate to bridge the gap between high-concept design and mass-market luxury, a feat he masterfully achieved by doubling the size of Alaïa since 2021.
The transition marks a “strategic homecoming” for Mulier, whose deep ties to Simons (now Co-Creative Director at Prada) align perfectly with the Prada Group’s architectural vision for its new asset. While negotiations with Alaïa’s parent company, Richemont, are reportedly ongoing, the industry expects a formal announcement in early 2026. As Versace prepares to skip its traditional January runway show, all eyes are on Mulier to see how he will re-energize the house’s iconic “rock ‘n’ roll” heritage for a new era of dominance.
