The Tamesis
Pieter Mulier has been named Versace’s new chief creative officer, the company announced today. Following the success of Alaïa, the Belgian designer was appointed in 2021 as the brand’s first creative director since the death of Azzedine Alaïa in 2017.
Mulier’s appointment will be effective July 1, 2026. He will report to Lorenzo Bertelli, chairman of Versace and successor to Prada Group.
“When we were considering acquiring Versace, we thought Pieter Mulier was the right person for the brand,” Bertelli said in a statement. “We believe he can truly unlock the full potential of Versace and that he will be able to engage in a productive dialogue with the brand’s strong legacy. We are excited to begin this journey together.”
Mulier fills the role left vacant by Dario Vitale. Dario Vitale’s short-lived tenure as creative director of Versace came to an end after the Prada Group’s bid to acquire Versace from Capri Holdings was finalized on December 2. Vitale was appointed to the position in March, just before the Prada deal was announced in April. On December 12, he showed a collection before setting off.
Mulier graduated from the Architecture Department of the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels. In 2003, he was discovered by Belgian designer and current Prada co-creative director Raf Simons during a graduate review. Mulier rose to prominence at Simons’ own label and later served as Simons’ right-hand man in several creative director appointments, including Jil Sander (2005-2012) and Christian Dior (2012-2015). In 2016, Simons was hired as Calvin Klein’s chief creative officer, and Mulier served as global creative director. With such extensive experience with big brands, Muriel may be able to navigate the machinations of the Versace and Prada conglomerates.
The designer also has experience breathing new life into culturally significant but commercially challenging brands. While honoring Alaïa’s late founder, Mulier ushered in a new contemporary era for the brand, launching critically acclaimed collections and commercially successful viral products to boost profits, from the best-selling mesh ballet flats to the It-bag Le Teckel, a hot item among fashion buyers in 2024/25. Richemont Group, the parent company of Alaïa, did not announce brand revenue, but in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 as of December 31, the group’s sales increased by 11% year-on-year to 6.4 billion euros at constant exchange rates, exceeding the market consensus of 8% growth.
Muriel will now be responsible for Versace’s turnaround. The brand suffered declining sales and lacked a clear brand identity under previous owner Capri of the United States. In fiscal 2025, Versace’s revenue fell 15% to $193 million. Analysts say Versace has thriving brand awareness and affinity under Prada Group and back home in Italy.
After more than a year of domino effect, Alaïa’s designer jumped ship to Versace, which also brought about another creative director vacancy. Let’s start speculating on who will take over the job, and what jobs they might leave behind.
More information on this topic:
The Prada-Versace deal is done. What now?
Dario Vitale quits Versace
Prada to acquire Versace from Capri
