Donatella Versace has been replaced as creative director of the Italian luxury fashion house founded by her late brother Gianni Versace, assuming the new role of chief brand ambassador, Versace’s U.S. owner Capri Holdings announced on Thursday.

Versace will be replaced by Dario Vitale, who most recently was design director at the Miu Miu brand owned by the Prada Group. His appointment is effective on April 1. Versace, 69, welcomed Vitale, emphasizing in a statement that “championing the next generation of designers has always been important to me,'' while Vitale, 41, thanked Versace for "her trust in me.”