The Glossy Podcast: “What’s Going on at Versace?”

Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Danny Parisi (A)
Co-Host: Zofia Zviglinska (B)
Guest: Jill Manoff, Editor-in-Chief (C)

Episode Overview

This episode explores several recent developments at the intersection of fashion, technology, and business, culminating in a deep-dive discussion into the upheaval at Versace following its acquisition by the Prada Group and the dramatic exit of new creative director Dario Vitale. Main themes include the critical role of fashion in wearable technology, the increasing phenomenon of high-profile creative appointments at fashion brands, and regulatory crackdowns on luxury watch price-fixing. The in-depth Versace segment unpacks the last decade of the brand's history, the tumultuous leadership changes, and what all of this implies for its future.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[00:14–12:37] AI Smart Glasses: Fashion is the New Frontier

Warby Parker x Google’s Entry into AI Wearables

• Headline: Google and Warby Parker announce AI smart glasses for 2026, entering a market where Meta x Ray-Ban’s product has already sold 2 million units.
• Fashion’s importance: Success in this category depends on eyewear expertise and style, not just tech. Google's previous failure (Google Glass) was widely attributed to its awkward aesthetics.
  • Quote:
    “I really think the main problem was that they were goofy looking...if you’re going to wear this thing on your face out in public, like that’s not gonna work.” — Danny Parisi [03:29]
  • Quote:
    “The fact that Google hasn’t had...a kind of a fashion or a eyewear specialist partner before...makes for a very big change compared to what they’re doing now with Warby.” — Zofia Zviglinska [02:18]
• Competitive landscape: Google/Warby must match up not just to Meta/Ray-Ban, but also to looming entries by Apple and Snap.
• Device adoption challenges: Bulky tech and social discomfort are barriers.
  • Quote:
    “I would be so embarrassed if I was wearing my glasses and...saying, ‘Glasses, take a picture of that man over there.’” — Danny [10:06]
• Form factor and use cases: Visual design is essential, but real-time translation and health/wellness (e.g., Nuance Audio hearing aids) are key features attracting new user groups.
• Adoption timeline: Widespread popularity may still take another 2–3 years.

[12:37–18:26] Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Named Fashion Director at Forward

The Rise of Influencer-Executives

• Context: Forward (owned by Revolve) appoints supermodel and entrepreneur Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Fashion Director—a technical, business-facing role.
  • Quote:
    "It’s not like chief personality officer or brand ambassador. It's fashion director, like overseeing merchandising, kind of a corporate role, which I thought was interesting." — Danny [12:37]
• Strategy: Forward leverages influencer recognition to fuel profits and personal shopping growth, echoing successful founder-led branding in D2C beauty.
  • Quote:
    “It just seems like...an influencer play rather than, like, as a business person play.” — Zofia [14:00]
• Broader trend: The host questions how likely it is that the "most qualified" candidate for these high-profile jobs happens to be a celebrity.
• Cultural resonance: British cachet adds to Rosie’s appeal for US retailers.

[18:26–24:25] Watch Industry Price-Fixing Crackdowns

Citizen & Swatch Under Investigation

• Synopsis: Italian and EU regulators crack down on Swatch Group and Citizen for resale price management (RPM), mirroring recent fines for Gucci, Rolex, and others.
  • Quote:
    “RPM means that prices can be higher than normal, but they can never go lower.” — Danny [20:16]
• Market pressure: Inflation and price visibility have driven regulatory action—the EU is increasingly consumer-focused, in contrast to a laxer US approach.
• Business implications: Growth of the grey market and reselling is a symptom of pricing control and market distortion.

[24:25–50:22] Deep Dive: What’s Going on at Versace?

Setting the Stage: Versace’s Recent History ([25:44–29:41])

• Brand background: Versace, a highly recognizable Italian luxury brand, is famous for bold glamour (e.g., Jennifer Lopez’s green dress, Gianni Versace’s legacy).
• Ownership timeline:
  • 2018: Acquired by Michael Kors Holdings (Capri Holdings) for $2.1B; brand “languished” under US ownership.
  • 2023–2024: Capri’s ambitions to become an “American LVMH” fizzle amid a failed merger with Tapestry.
  • 2025: Prada Group acquires Versace for $1.4B; Donatella Versace transitions to Chief Brand Ambassador.
• Key moment:
  • Dario Vitale is appointed Creative Director, but his debut collection coincides with the closing of the Prada-Group deal—he is ousted almost immediately afterwards.

Industry Perception of Versace

• Stagnation: Versace is seen as repeating past glories ("Medusa prints and gold").
  • Quote:
    “The bags haven’t been particularly successful. The fashion is still very much the same.” — Zofia [27:43]
• Value erosion: Sold at a loss, signaling brand decline under Capri Holdings.

The Dario Vitale Era—And Its Ultra-Short Tenure ([29:41–39:20])

• Vitale’s sole show: Marked a departure in style—nods to Miami beach, 80s-90s sex appeal, and Gianni Versace’s heritage.
• Critical response: Mixed but grew warmer over time.
  • Quote:
    “The sharp contrast is interesting.” — Jill [33:33]
  • NYT’s Nikki Campbell and I Deserve Couture: “This is what the brand desperately needed.” [32:04]
  • The Cut’s review: “The first couple looks I thought were stupid. And then by the tenth look, I liked it. And then by the twentieth look, I was like, oh my God, where has Vitale been all my life?” — Danny citing The Cut [33:37]
• Management turmoil:
  • Donatella and leadership skip the debut show, interpreted as a snub.
    • Quote:
      “You’d want Donatella Versace to be there. If you’re the new creative director, I think.” — Danny [36:49]
  • The Prada deal closes, Vitale is fired within days; little public explanation.

Why Was Dario Vitale Fired? ([39:20–46:03])

Theories & Industry Gossip

• Personal vendetta?: Speculation that Prada’s leadership, resentful that Vitale left their Miu Miu brand, planned his ousting from day one.
  • Quote:
    “Somebody leaves your company, maybe you left on not great terms. They went to be the head designer—like, who wouldn’t take that job anyway?” — Jill [46:03]
  • Zofia: “The risk taking was actually whether the show should have happened at all, rather than whether Daario was going to be in or out. It seemed like that decision was already made, you know, at the time of the acquisition.” [39:34]
• Business logic?: Concern that his vision for Versace was too similar to Miu Miu’s aesthetic—potential brand overlap.
• Pattern at Prada group: Prior creative director shakeups (Jil Sander, Helmut Lang) ended in tumult; most acquisitions have faced instability.
• Cultural clash: Prada is still a family-run company with opaque, personality-driven decision-making.
• Industry reaction:
  • “Give the guy a chance. I think, like everyone else that’s wild. And also, it’s a shame because somebody that’s a young, kind of fairly unknown talent.” — Jill [38:04]
  • Banter on social media and among fashion insiders is skeptical and sometimes caustic.

Future Outlook for Versace ([46:03–50:22])

• Short-term instability:
  • Current campaign will sell, but buyers are wary—uncertainty about future direction may undermine sales.
  • “There’s just like an inconsistency from season to season in terms of the brand look and vibe and like what customers are in for. Everybody’s confused.” — Jill [41:59]
  • CEO (not a designer) is managing creative direction until a replacement is announced.
• Next creative director:
  • Anthony Vaccarello (current YSL designer) rumored, but seen as too safe, too familiar.
  • Opportunity missed to appoint a fresh, exciting outsider.
• Risks for Prada Group:
  • The incident highlights potential deterrents for future creative director candidates, particularly against a backdrop of upcoming corporate succession within Prada.
  • Quote:
    “This is a moment right now where the company is already undergoing some difficulties and there are going to be some issues as this acquisition kind of moves forward. It’s not the time to make these kinds of mistakes.” — Zofia [48:31]
• Creative director churn: Seen as a signal to investors, but damaging for brand stability and young talent.
  • “Talent shouldn’t be a spectacle...they’re just like these little pawns that they’re shaking. It’s got to be really hard right now.” — Jill [46:03]
  • “If this was a regular job, this would ...be a job that you’d skip on your resume.” — Brown Fashion Gal on Threads, read by Jill [46:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Fashion tech insight:
  “I think the fact that Google Glass was kind of stupid looking was the nail in the coffin for that product.” — Danny [03:29]

• On celebrity creative directors:
  “It’s not that this person is not qualified, but more like what are the odds that the most qualified person also happens to be a famous celebrity?” — Danny [15:19]

• Watch industry regulatory crackdown:
  “Basically RPM means that prices can be higher than normal, but they can never go lower.” — Danny [20:16]

• Donatella skipping the Versace show:
  “As the chief brand ambassador, you go to the show.” — Jill [36:49]

• On the abrupt firing of Dario Vitale:
  “Well, literally, give the guy a chance. I think, like everyone else that’s wild. And also, it’s a shame because somebody that’s a young, kind of fairly unknown talent…had a good showing at the first bat.” — Jill [38:04]

• On Versace’s brand direction:
  “Nostalgia is one thing, but like keep referring to your heyday, like what’s your heyday now?” — Jill [28:11]

• On Prada’s acquisition approach:
  “It does feel like maybe the kind of sequence of events here could have been...handled maybe slightly differently. Both not hurting Daria’s reputation, but also not losing Versace and Prada group so much money, because putting on a show is still an expensive endeavor, and it could have been handled maybe slightly differently.” — Zofia [45:12]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:14 – 12:37: AI smart glasses (Google x Warby Parker vs. Meta x Ray-Ban, implications for fashion)
• 12:37 – 18:26: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley at Forward, rise of influencer-executives
• 18:26 – 24:25: Watch industry price-fixing investigations, regulatory climate
• 24:25 – 29:41: Versace background, the lead in to Prada acquisition
• 29:41 – 39:20: Dario Vitale’s show, industry and public reaction
• 39:20 – 46:03: Theories, context, and fallout around Vitale’s firing
• 46:03 – 50:22: Future for Versace, Prada group succession, industry skepticism

Tone and Language

The conversation is frank, occasionally wry, and insightful, with all three speakers leveraging both their industry expertise and a conversational, sometimes playful tone. There's a sense of both admiration for and exasperation with the fashion industry's cycles of hype and drama.

Conclusion

This episode of The Glossy Podcast demonstrates how the worlds of technology, celebrity, and high fashion are increasingly intertwined—and how brand and corporate maneuvering can make or break not just the fortunes of legendary houses like Versace, but also the careers and creative visions of the people tasked with leading them forward. The unraveling at Versace is emblematic of wider industry volatility, offering a cautionary tale for conglomerates, creative leaders, and consumers alike.