Is Donatella Versace leaving Versace?

Rumors always end up in the open. And in the world of fashion, where whispers often exceed limits, many of the most unimaginable gossip turn out to be the most truthful. This is the case of Donatella Versace, who recently reappeared on many of her fans' feeds after posting a triumphant carousel with her highlights of the year during a period that is not particularly rosy for her brand (sold to Capri Holdings for $2.1 billion in 2018). According to several rumors, which gained substance in a recent WWD article, as well as in chats and posts on social media, not only is Capri Holdings reportedly considering selling Versace along with Jimmy Choo after the failure of its billion-dollar deal with Tapestry, but it might also soon part ways with Donatella Versace, who has been its creative director for decades, and whose contract might expire next February and not be renewed. Of course, neither the brand nor Capri Holdings has confirmed anything, although many saw in the carousel posted by the designer, whose final slide featured a video of her saying a definitive "That’s all" before turning away in her office chair, a sort of concluding note. But could Donatella Versace's exit from Versace represent a realistic possibility?

The first impression is that Donatella Versace would never abandon the brand founded by her legendary brother Gianni and always managed alongside her brother Santo, who is currently its president, and her daughter Allegra. Nevertheless, by selling the brand to Capri Holdings, the Versace family conducted an operation not too dissimilar from those carried out by Tom Ford and Dries Van Noten in recent years, relinquishing part of their decision-making power to new administrators. The common thread seems to be the evolving role of the creative director: designing clothes today is just a part of a larger, riskier, more exhausting, and probably less creatively stimulating process, from which many designers who rose to fame in the '90s and early 2000s are detaching themselves after their respective brands became too large in terms of distribution, number of collections, and product categories for the efforts of a single individual, transcending even the original vocation of producing fashion in the strict sense. Now, assuming the rumors are true and Donatella Versace's contract as creative director will not be renewed upon its next expiration, this would not necessarily mean her departure from the brand. The three members of the Versace family are all still part of the company’s board of directors, so stepping down from the creative direction could essentially mean Donatella Versace lightening her responsibilities without fully retiring from the scene.

Of course, if the brand were to change hands, things could shift, but it would perhaps be unwise for any administrator to separate the brand from the family bearing its name unless the family itself desires it. Here we come to the second rumor reported by WWD, namely that John Idol, CEO and president of Capri Holdings, has clashed several times with Donatella Versace over the brand’s strategy, stating: «We believe we removed too many unique Versace statement items, which resulted in a less exciting brand and product identity. We also significantly reduced our offering of products for aspirational consumers as we tried to elevate the brand». These words prompt reflection on how, beyond the invisible organizational-logistical strategy, the brand may need a shake-up or simply a novelty. We do not yet know what the future holds for Donatella Versace at Versace – but perhaps the next Milan Fashion Week show will provide a clue: if it truly is her last show, it will certainly be more spectacular than usual. The upcoming shows of Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior and Silvia Venturini Fendi at Fendi are expected to be similarly noteworthy, but these are also just rumors.