So much for the show of unity at Versace. the Wall Street Journal and other sources are reporting that CEO Giancarlo Di Risio has resigned. Over Memorial Day weekend it was believed that Di Risio would be fired after months of pitched battle with Donatella Versace but those reports were summarily denied. Turns out there was quite a bit of truth to it. The company now reports that Di Risio's resignation was a mutual decision. Di Risio, who has also worked for LVMH and probably won't be eager to sign on for a family-run business again any time soon, will stay on for a while as the company searches for a new CEO. One name that keeps floating to the top is former Pringle of Scotland's chief executive, Kim Winser. Winser once described herself as a "tough cookie with chocolate bits in it" and she's going to need that toughness to hold her own in the Versace empire.

The news may be slow in the U.S. this weekend but things are heating up in Milan. Bloomberg reports that Gianni Versace SpA's board is meeting to discuss the fate of Chief Executive Officer Giancarlo di Risio. Seems that the CEO ran afoul of La Donatella in a battle over creative control. What's really interesting is that the fight is reportedly over several issues including the fact that he wanted to license a cheaper line designed by someone else.

Giancarlo di Risio first hit our radar in January this year when he said that Versace would not be marking down products in the economic downturn. But then in February Versace announced it was reviving its second line Versus. The bridge line was originally created by Gianni Versace in 1989 as a project for his sister Donatella. Versace signed a deal with Italian company Gruppo Facchini to create clothing and accessories lines for men and women for the new line planned for Spring/Summer 2010. For his part, di Risio wasn't happy that Donatella Versace continues to use long-time Versace photographer Mario Testino for the brand's ad campaign. Testino gets a cool $140,000 a day.

Versace has thrived under di Risio who worked with Donatella to create a more elegant version of Versace that appeals to the luxury consumer. But in the end it's still a family brand (Donatella owns 20 percent, her brother Santo has 30 percent and her daughter Allegra inherited Gianni Versace's stake of 50 percent). Di Risio, a serial CEO of Italian clothing companies will likely have no trouble finding a new gig.

Who might replace di Risio? The Telegraph says that one possible option is Kim Winser, who was behind the resurgence of Scottish brand Pringle and recently resigned from Aquascutum.

UPDATE: Versace has denied any friction between Donatella and Giancarlo di Risio and released their new three-year plan.

Back in January, Versace CEO Giancarlo Di Risio emphatically stated that Versace would not be dropping prices in response to economic pressure. It seems now that he has found another method of courting the consumer with less to spend. Versace is relaunching its second line Versus. The bridge line was originally created by Gianni Versace in 1989 as a project for his sister Donatella.

Versace has signed a deal with Italian company Gruppo Facchini to create clothing and accessories lines for men and women which will be ready for Spring/Summer 2010. A new company, VSV, will be created and Gruppo Facchini's Mathias Facchini will be chief executive. The company predicts turnover of more than 700 million euros in the first five years. The Versus line offers luxury that Di Risio told Reuters is more "aspirational, more accessible."

Versus will open 20 boutiques by 2011. Fashion Week Daily reports that a preview of the line is scheduled for March 1 in Milan.