Meet the Newly Appointed Designer Behind Marni

last updated 13 August 2019

Marni's longtime creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, is officially leaving the family business. The designer, who made her family's fur business into the fashion label it is today, is stepping down, and a replacement has already been named. According to Business of Fashion, Francesco Risso, who formerly was a designer at Prada, will take over as creative director.

The 33-year-old has an impressive résumé: He studied at Polimoda in Italy, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and Central St. Martins in London. Risso's name may not be that familiar to those outside the fashion industry, but his work has been seen by all. He worked at Alessandro Dell'Acqua and Malo before joining Prada in 2008, and his first Marni collection will be shown at Milan Fashion Week in February. Renzo Rosso, president of Only the Brave, the Italian fashion group that bought Marni in 2012, released a statement about the new era of the brand: "I am happy to welcome Francesco, whose talent will contribute to writing a new chapter in the history of this house which is Italian at heart and global in spirit. I am confident that the creative team and the management of Marni, which have contributed to this success, will continue to make this brand reach exciting new goals."