Caravaggio And Cock Rings Usher In A New Versace Era
The invitation to Versace’s Spring/Summer 2026 show was a tempting dare. “Wear something reckless, as though mocking propriety,” it read, promising a party where the wine was chilled and the curtains were drawn. For his debut collection, new creative director Dario Vitale delivered on that promise, and then some, reports Them.
Vitale is the first person outside the Versace family to helm the iconic house. Following Donatella in a season of major industry shake-ups meant the pressure was on. The question we all had was simple: would he play it safe? He did not. Instead, he embraced the provocative spirit that has always been at the heart of the brand.
The parents are away, and we’re throwing a party.
Held in Milan’s Pinacoteca Ambrosiana gallery, the show was surrounded by art history. The location houses a favourite painting by Caravaggio, an artist for whom Vitale admitted to Them, he has a “tormented passion for.”
Another key influence was Pier Paolo Pasolini’s controversial 1968 film Teorema, which follows a handsome stranger whose sexuality disrupts and ultimately liberates a conservative household. Vitale cast himself in that disruptive role, strewing empty wine glasses and his own bedsheets around the gallery floor. “It’s an awakening,” he said.
It was all about the details.
The collection itself was a study in controlled seduction. Skin was on show, but the most interesting moments hinted at what was just beneath the surface. We saw classic white tank tops cut to be completely backless and tailored suits paired with rolled-up shorts. The most talked about detail, however, was the nod to the late Gianni Versace. Tight, high-waisted jeans were cinched to accentuate the wearer’s bulge, with undone trousers fastened by leather cock rings, a styling trick Gianni himself famously used.
An unapologetic and bold new chapter?
This open display of sexuality is a direct return to the house’s roots. “When you are in full control of your body and of your sexuality, it can be very controversial,” Vitale explained to Vogue. “For Versace, though, that doesn’t make any sense. With Gianni, there was no private, no public, no wrong, no right, he was so unapologetic and so bold.” This vision extends beyond the runway, with Vitale recently launching Versace Embodied, a creative project featuring contributions from respected queer artists. It seems Vitale isn’t just designing clothes; he’s reminding us that true confidence comes from having nothing to hide.
