Fashion

Donatella prepares for life after Versace with her own brand

By Eva Morletto22 septembre 2026

Eighteen months after stepping down as Versace’s creative director, Donatella Versace is preparing for a new chapter in her career. In partnership with Revolve Group, the 71-year-old designer will launch an independent brand in 2027, with beauty as its entry point and an international ambition.

Donatella Versace is turning her personal influence into a profitable asset (Shutterstock)

At 71, Donatella Versace is preparing for life after Versace. Eighteen months after leaving the creative direction of the house founded by her brother Gianni, the designer has joined forces with U.S. company Revolve Group in an independent joint venture. The name of the future brand has not yet been revealed, and the first products are expected in 2027, with a launch planned in the United States, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

Versace faces a new challenge under Prada

The operation comes at a pivotal moment for Versace. Prada, which acquired the Medusa brand from Capri Holdings at the end of 2025 at a valuation of €1.25 billion, is now pulling out all the stops to revive the Italian label.

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In the fiscal year ended in March 2025, the house generated $821 million in revenue, down 20% year on year, compared with $1.03 billion in the previous fiscal year. Since the acquisition, Prada has therefore had to accelerate the brand’s repositioning. The group is relying on the talent of Pieter Mulier, appointed creative director, as well as a more efficient and streamlined distribution network and a full-price strategy.

For Donatella, the logic is different. The designer is transforming her personal influence into a profitable asset. Her image and popularity can, in themselves, provide a strong brand identity capable of extending beyond the Versace house, thanks to her 12 million Instagram followers and her close ties to the worlds of music, celebrities and pop culture.

A strategic partnership for Revolve

Revolve, for its part, offers her an ideal platform to test new products capable of attracting a younger customer base, namely millennials and Gen Z. Beauty — chosen as the entry point — also allows for more accessible price points and an international rollout that is less complex to manage than luxury ready-to-wear.

For the California-based group, the deal is also highly strategic. Revolve generated $1.23 billion in sales in 2025, up 8%, with $61 million in net profit. As of the end of June 2026, the company had 3.04 million active customers, an 11% increase year on year. It therefore has the resources needed to multiply partnerships and accelerate its presence in the premium beauty market.

While Prada now faces the challenge of restoring the desirability and profitability of an iconic heritage house such as Versace, Donatella finds herself in a much more agile position: the designer can start with a clean slate. Without a historic network to defend or an established positioning to preserve, she will be able to shape the identity of the new brand while adapting as effectively as possible to market movements and trends.

Key points:

- Donatella Versace is partnering with Revolve Group to launch an independent brand, with the first products expected in 2027.

- The strategy is designed to reach a younger customer base and facilitate international distribution.

- While Prada works to reposition Versace, Donatella Versace has a new structure through which to develop her own brand identity.

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