Milan’s luxury landscape shifted decisively on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, as Prada Group confirmed it has completed the long-awaited acquisition of fellow Italian fashion house Versace from Capri Holdings in a deal valued at about €1.25 billion (around $1.4 billion). [1]
The closing, announced after all regulatory approvals were secured, brings together two of Italy’s best-known style powerhouses under one corporate roof and marks the largest acquisition in Prada’s 112‑year history. [2]
Inside the Prada–Versace Deal
Prada first agreed in April 2025 to acquire Versace from US-based Capri Holdings, in a transaction now confirmed at approximately €1.25 billion. [3] Capri had itself bought Versace in 2018 for about $1.8–2 billion, making today’s sale both a strategic reset for the American group and a major bet by Prada on the enduring power of the Versace name. [4]
With the closing, Versace joins a portfolio that already includes the Prada and Miu Miu labels, along with Church’s, Car Shoe, Marchesi 1824 and the Luna Rossa sailing venture. The group now operates 25 factories, more than 620 directly operated stores and employs over 15,000 people worldwide, even before adding Versace’s own operations. [5]
For Prada, listed in Hong Kong under the ticker 1913.HK, the acquisition is a transformational move designed to deepen its presence in leather goods, ready-to-wear and accessories at the very top end of the market, while creating a more credible Italian rival to French luxury giants like LVMH and Kering. [6]
Why Versace Matters So Much
Versace is one of the most globally recognised fashion brands, synonymous with high-voltage glamour, baroque prints and celebrity-fuelled runway moments. Prada heir Lorenzo Bertelli – now confirmed as Versace’s executive chairman – has repeatedly highlighted that Versace’s awareness ranks among the top fashion names worldwide, yet its business has not historically matched the strength of its image. [7]
That disconnect is precisely what Prada believes it can fix. Management sees Versace’s bold, sensual aesthetic as complementary to Prada’s intellectual, sometimes deliberately “ugly-chic” sensibility and Miu Miu’s youth-driven approach, giving the group a broader emotional and stylistic spectrum to work with across different consumer segments. [8]
According to analyst presentations cited in local coverage, Versace accounted for around 20% of Capri Holdings’ 2024 revenue of €5.2 billion, yet is expected to represent roughly 13% of Prada Group’s pro‑forma revenues, versus 22% for Miu Miu and 64% for the core Prada brand. [9] That imbalance underscores both the scale of the group and the growth runway Prada sees for its new acquisition.
A Troubled Icon in Need of a Turnaround
Despite its fame, Versace arrives at Prada in need of repair. Under Capri, the label struggled to fully capitalise on the post‑pandemic luxury rebound and to adapt to the shift toward “quiet luxury” and more understated branding. [10]
Business of Fashion reports that Versace’s revenue has fallen by roughly a quarter over the last two years, and that the brand posted an operating loss in its most recent fiscal year — even as many Italian peers remained profitable despite a wider luxury slowdown. [11] Revenue is understood to still be below the level recorded in the year ending March 2020, the first full year under Capri ownership. [12]
Analysts point to two structural issues in particular:
- Over-reliance on outlet channels that diluted the brand’s top-tier positioning.
- An inconsistent product and communications strategy, which leaned heavily on logo-driven items but failed to build enough must‑have categories at full price. [13]
Prada’s challenge is to restore Versace’s pricing power and desirability while weaning it off discount-heavy distribution — a shift that will almost certainly hurt sales and margins in the short term.
New Leadership and Creative Direction
On the leadership side, the governance structure is already clear. Lorenzo Bertelli, 37, becomes executive chairman of Versace alongside his existing roles as group marketing and sustainability chief, giving him a central role in steering the house’s next phase. [14] Prada has signalled that it does not plan immediate management upheaval, favouring continuity at the start of integration. [15]
Creatively, Versace is also entering new territory. Earlier this year, Dario Vitale — a longtime Miu Miu insider who rose to design and image director there — took over as Versace’s creative director and showed his first collection during Milan Fashion Week in September. [16] Early critical reaction was positive, with commentators noting a return to deeper, more nuanced sensuality rather than mere logo spectacle. [17]
Donatella Versace, who led the brand creatively for decades after her brother Gianni’s death, has transitioned into a brand ambassador role. Her exact future responsibilities under Prada remain to be defined, and she notably skipped Vitale’s debut show, fuelling industry speculation about how the new power balance will settle. [18]
For now, Prada executives emphasise stability. CEO Andrea Guerra has stressed that the group wants to take time to evaluate Versace’s organisation and avoid destabilising the house while trying to fix it. [19]
Manufacturing Muscle: Versace Joins Prada’s Italian Factory Network
Perhaps Prada’s biggest advantage in this turnaround is operational, not aesthetic. The group has spent years reinforcing its Italian manufacturing base and talent pipeline — investments that will now be extended to Versace.
Prada has invested around €60 million in its supply chain this year alone, including a new leather goods facility near Siena, a knitwear plant near Perugia and expanded capacity at its Church’s footwear operation in the UK and another Tuscan factory. That comes on top of roughly €200 million spent between 2019 and 2024. [20]
The Scandicci leather goods factory near Florence, which already produces bags for Prada and Miu Miu, is being prepared to add Versace accessories to its lines. Executives have framed this as a straightforward extension of existing expertise rather than a reinvention of the wheel: the craft involved in making a luxury bag, they argue, is the same regardless of which logo appears on the clasp. [21]
Supporting this industrial base is the Prada Group Academy, a 25‑year‑old training initiative that has schooled around 570 new artisans across Tuscany, Marche, Veneto and Umbria. Roughly 70% of last year’s 120 trainees were hired into the group, and the intake has risen to over 150 this year. [22]
For Versace, plugging into this ecosystem could mean:
- Higher and more consistent product quality.
- Shorter lead times and better responsiveness to demand.
- A gradual shift of production closer to the brand’s Italian roots, reinforcing its authenticity narrative. [23]
Building an Italian Luxury Champion
Beyond the mechanics of the deal, the Prada–Versace tie‑up has symbolic weight. For years, industry observers have wondered whether Italy could field a homegrown luxury group capable of standing alongside LVMH and Kering. Many of the country’s best-known houses — from Armani to Dolce & Gabbana — remain independent, limiting their scale.
Business of Fashion notes that many in the Italian fashion community see Prada’s move as a potential first step toward that long‑imagined national champion, with Versace’s powerful iconography and pop-cultural history offering a strong complement to Prada’s own cultural cachet. [24]
Still, Prada’s leadership is tamping down expectations of an immediate acquisition spree. In remarks just days before the closing, CEO Andrea Guerra told Reuters the group has no further deals in the pipeline and will be “fully engaged” with integrating Versace for at least the next three years. [25]
The Hard Work Starts Now: Key Challenges
The acquisition may be closed, but the true test is only beginning. Fashion insiders and investors will be watching several pressure points in the coming months:
- Repositioning away from outlets
Versace’s heavy dependence on off‑price channels has damaged its luxury credentials. Prada will likely need to reduce outlet exposure significantly, even if that means lower revenue in the short term. [26] - Restoring profitability
Turning an operating loss‑making brand into a profit engine will demand tight control over inventory, improved full‑price sell‑through and a more disciplined approach to store expansion. [27] - Aligning creative and commercial strategies
Dario Vitale’s early critical success must translate into products that resonate in stores and online. That means clearly defining hero categories, tightening assortments and ensuring campaigns amplify the new vision without alienating core loyalists. [28] - Managing brand governance and personalities
With Bertelli as executive chairman, Vitale as creative director and Donatella Versace as global face of the brand, Prada will need to balance heritage, egos and fresh thinking inside one coherent structure. [29] - Navigating a softer luxury market
The deal lands during a broader slowdown in high-end spending, especially among aspirational shoppers. Any reset of pricing and distribution must be handled carefully to avoid putting further pressure on demand. [30]
What It Means for Shoppers and Investors
For consumers, the most visible changes are likely to come over the next 12–24 months:
- Fewer heavily discounted Versace items in outlet malls and online flash sales.
- Greater emphasis on signature pieces — think iconic prints, sculpted tailoring and bolder accessories — produced with tighter quality control.
- More integrated experiences across Prada, Miu Miu and Versace stores, especially in key luxury hubs. [31]
For investors, Versace offers Prada a third sizeable pillar alongside Prada and Miu Miu, with the potential to lift the group’s growth profile if the turnaround succeeds. At the same time, the integration will consume management attention and capital just as luxury demand becomes more volatile. Guerra has been clear that the company’s ambition is to grow faster than the industry overall — Versace will now be the main proving ground for that promise. [32]
The Bottom Line
Prada’s purchase of Versace is far more than a trophy deal. It’s a high-stakes attempt to unlock the commercial potential of one of fashion’s most famous names, strengthen Italy’s hand in the global luxury race and prove that Prada’s increasingly professionalised platform can successfully absorb and revitalise a troubled icon.
The glamour may grab the headlines today, but what happens quietly — in factories in Tuscany, design studios in Milan and outlet malls around the world — will determine whether this €1.25 billion bet ultimately pays off.
References
1. www.pradagroup.com, 2. us.fashionnetwork.com, 3. us.fashionnetwork.com, 4. us.fashionnetwork.com, 5. sg.fashionnetwork.com, 6. us.fashionnetwork.com, 7. www.9news.com.au, 8. www.9news.com.au, 9. www.9news.com.au, 10. www.9news.com.au, 11. www.businessoffashion.com, 12. www.businessoffashion.com, 13. www.businessoffashion.com, 14. www.9news.com.au, 15. www.9news.com.au, 16. www.9news.com.au, 17. www.businessoffashion.com, 18. www.businessoffashion.com, 19. www.businessoffashion.com, 20. www.9news.com.au, 21. www.9news.com.au, 22. www.9news.com.au, 23. www.9news.com.au, 24. www.businessoffashion.com, 25. www.reuters.com, 26. www.businessoffashion.com, 27. www.businessoffashion.com, 28. www.businessoffashion.com, 29. www.businessoffashion.com, 30. www.businessoffashion.com, 31. www.9news.com.au, 32. www.reuters.com
