Just when it seemed the revolving door of creative directors at luxury Houses had finally slowed, the music at Versace started again. Belgian designer Pieter Mulier has been appointed Chief Creative Officer, taking the reins from 1 July 2026. Now under Prada Group ownership, Mulier faces the challenge of honouring Versace’s flamboyant legacy while steering the House toward a more contemporary, forward-looking vision.
Lorenzo Bertelli, Versace’s executive chairman, said in a statement that Mulier “will know how to reinterpret the brand” while safeguarding its unmistakable identity. In other words: keep the glitz, but give it a 21st-century heartbeat.
Mulier leaves Alaïa, where he has spent the past five years transforming the Parisian House. Known for its sculptural silhouettes and meticulous craftsmanship, Alaïa benefitted from Mulier’s eye for precision and innovation – proving you can modernise a legend without screaming “reboot.” He will present his final collection for Alaïa at Paris Fashion Week in March 2026 before stepping into Milan.
While Alaïa was Mulier’s stage for effortless excellence Versace is a completely different instrument.
Mulier didn’t start in fashion; he trained as an architect at Brussels’s Institut Saint-Luc, which perhaps explains why his clothes feel as if they’re drawn in three dimensions before they hit the runway. His path from architecture to fashion led him to an internship with Belgian designer Raf Simons, and from there to senior roles at Jil Sander, Christian Dior and Calvin Klein. Along the way, he became known as the force behind some of the most influential collections of the past two decades.
Mulier steps into the role following Dario Vitale’s short tenure, which ended late in 2025. With Versace integrated into the Prada Group and Donatella Versace still involved as chief brand ambassador, the House is entering a period of careful recalibration. The goal: retain the brand’s signature glamour while nudging it toward relevance for a new generation of luxury buyers.
Mulier’s first collection for Versace is expected to debut for Spring/Summer 2027 in Milan, and fashion insiders are already buzzing. As the music of creative chairs resumes at Versace, all eyes will be on the Belgian designer to see whether he can make the House’s next move feel inevitable – yet exhilaratingly new.
