Francesco Risso Leaves Marni With an Unexpected Farewell

After nearly a decade at the creative helm of Marni, Francesco Risso is saying goodbye to the fashion label he helped make essential again.

When he took over from founder Consuelo Castiglioni in 2016, it was a delicate moment: Marni was a brand beloved for its intellectual grace and unexpected shapes, but it was in danger of fading. Risso, who grew up between Genoa, Polimoda, FIT in New York, and Central Saint Martins in London, arrived at with a new vision and the courage of an outsider.

The first few years were not easy. He faced biting criticism, and nostalgia for the Castiglioni era immediately put him to the test, but he knew how to transform the critiques into creative energy. Collection after collection, Risso has defended Marni's irreverence, bringing to the catwalk a decomposed romanticism, regenerated fabrics, performances shared with the public and a style free from labels.

Renzo Rosso, president of the OTB Group (which also owns Diesel, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander, and more), said goodbye to him as “an authentic artist." It remains to be seen who will now inherit one of the liveliest and freest laboratories in Italian fashion.

"I will always be grateful to Renzo for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to embark on a journey that has become so much more than I could have imagined. Marni was a studio, a stage, a dream. He brought color, instinct, care and created a space where people could feel like themselves," Risso said in a farewell statement. "He taught me how to build something with feeling and how powerful true collaboration can be. Thanks to the entire Marni team and all the friends who have joined along the way, and now to the next extraordinary journeys!”

Risso's Marni successor has yet to be named. This is the latest move in what feels like fashion's game of creative director musical chairs.