Nobody Delivers a Red Carpet Moment Quite Like Donatella Versace

It’s the end of an era! This morning, it was announced that longtime Versace designer Donatella Versace is stepping down as creative from the Italian label. Dario Vitale will assume the role, marking the first time in the house’s 47-year history that the collections will not be overseen by either Gianni or Donatella Versace.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to carry on my brother Gianni’s legacy,” Donatella said in a release. “He was the true genius, but I hope I have some of his spirit and tenacity. In my new role as chief brand ambassador, I will remain Versace’s most passionate supporter. Versace is in my DNA and always in my heart.”

While Donatella certainly brought her own flair to the runways over the years, it is her presence on the red carpet that perhaps will be most-missed. Since she first assumed her post in the late 1990s, the designer has understood the power of dressing celebrities on a global scale. She has outfitted some of the most influential actors and musicians of the 21st century, at pillar events such as the Oscars, the Grammys, and the Met Gala, among countless other tentpoles.

What makes her Hollywood highlight reel? There was, of course, the plunging tropical Jennifer Lopez dress seen around the world. When the singer wore it to the 2000 Grammys, so many people searched it that it quite literally gave birth to Google Images. Donatella’s glamorous gowns—often designed under the Atelier Versace label—have also been a force to be reckoned with during awards season over the years. Remember when Angelina Jolie went viral for her leg-bearing slit at the 2012 Oscars? The designer’s sexy and empowering silhouettes have consistently had the power to have fashion fans discussing them around the world.

Her bold and theatrical designs have also been a hit with musicians in particular. Almost every year at the Grammys, you could always count on seeing a Versace moment in the mix. Take rapper Lil Nas X in 2020, when he wore a hot pink cowboy getup. Or Lady Gaga back in 2013, when she arrived to the American Music Awards in a lavender Versace gown while riding a giant artificial horse (her long, sweeping blonde hair even served as an homage to Donatella herself).