Lorenzo Bertelli, son of Miuccia Prada and heir to the Prada Group, is set to take on a key role at Versace as executive chairman, as he confirmed himself in a Bloomberg podcast recorded in Milan. The appointment is part of the strategic integration of Versace into the Prada ecosystem after the Italian maison was acquired for €1.25 billion.
At Prada, Bertelli already holds major positions: he has been marketing director since 2019 and head of corporate social responsibility since 2020. Despite his new role at Versace, he stated that no major restructuring is planned for the first 12 months, as he intends to gain a deep understanding of the maison’s culture and executive team.
According to Bertelli, Versace still has “far greater potential than its current revenues” — and he views the brand as one of the major players in global fashion, with room to grow under the Prada Group’s new structure.
The acquisition by Prada is seen as a long-term strategic move: by integrating Versace’s bold, baroque aesthetic into a portfolio that already includes Prada and Miu Miu, the company is betting on creative complementarity and operational expansion.
The transition also marks a shift in Versace’s creative leadership: Donatella Versace has stepped down from her executive role, and designer Dario Vitale, formerly of Miu Miu, is taking over as artistic director.
This moment brings together heritage, family vision and a strategy for growth in high fashion. Bertelli’s role represents not only the continuity of the Prada family, but also a bridge between two distinct aesthetic worlds — and perhaps the key to ushering in a new era of relevance for Versace.
