Dario Vitale's Versace blends vintage references with street style

From Prince to Ennio Morricone and Eurythmics to Janet Jackson, the soundtrack for the presentation of the upcoming spring/summer 26 collection designed by Dario Vitale for Versace reveals that the pieces are neither monotonous nor predictable. The designer, formerly the creative director of Miu Miu, has not fallen into the trap of evoking the history of the brand, founded by Gianni Versace, in every look. A few references are scattered throughout. However, the collection is infused with new vitality, evident in designs that nod to street style, such as striped denim pieces, patched leather, and brightly coloured prints. The result is a collection that is free, contemporary, and uninhibited.

The colour palette is dominated by black, alternating with intense reds and touches of gold. Bags are small and jewel-like, while belts are large. Footwear consists of high, slender sandals.

The collection was presented last Friday during a show at the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. The venue was transformed into a set resembling a residence. The presentation was accompanied by the publication of a romantic letter written by Vitale. Hyunjin, the Korean rapper chosen as Versace's global brand ambassador, was present at the show. The house is now owned by the Prada Group.

My beloved, I write to you with urgency and secrecy, as if the words themselves could transport us to a different life. "My love has made me selfish. I cannot exist without you. I have forgotten everything except the desire to see you again... You have completely absorbed me," are some excerpts from the letter. "To write is already to risk too much, yet I cannot help it. Words are useless, but in your absence I have nothing else. This house is elegant, respectable, bourgeois in its quiet disguise, and yet something is wrong. Or perhaps I have had enough of simple elegance, just as the demands of respectability seem absurd to me," Vitale continues in the letter.

"So, let this not be a eulogy, but an invitation. Hurry, come soon. The curtains are drawn, the wine is cold: I have followed the script this far, but I hate monologues. Wear something reckless, as if you were mocking propriety. Stay or go as you wish. You have already left your mark," the letter concludes.