The Armani fashion house, whose founder and owner Giorgio Armani died last year, on Wednesday named Dario Vitale as the new creative director of its Emporio Armani line.

"The Armani Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Dario Vitale as Creative Director of Emporio Armani and Giorgio Armani Accessories, the first to hold this role outside the Armani family," it said in a statement.