The game of musical chairs of the fashion sphere has not halted. Francesco Risso is next—he is no longer with Marni

His stepping down from Marni is a little surprising. Francesco Risso has been quietly doing his not-so-quiet work at the Italian house for the past nine years that one has nearly forgotten that it has been so long. Parent company of Marni, Only the Brave (OTB), announced a day earlier that Mr Risso has parted ways with the 30-year-old brand, founded in 1994 in Milan by Consuelo Castiglioni as an offshoot of her family’s fur business. Ms Castiglioni (and other family members) suddenly left her label four years after OTB initially acquired 60 percent of the company before fully buying it in 2015. Mr Risso joined the brand a year later.

Despite initial mixed reviews, he did successfully evolved Marni’s identity with his vibrant and artistic vision. While Ms Castiglioni’s work was off-beat and intellectually-informed, Mr Risso’s maximalist and theatrical. In a post on Instagram, he wrote, addressing OTB: “I have the feeling that over these years, what we have been seeking here is this: not just to create beautiful things, but to generate beauty as a way of being together.” There is no suggestion of disagreement or conflict as the reason for his departure. Instead, it appears to be a natural conclusion of a successful tenure, with both parties acknowledging the significant impact Francesco Risso had on the brand. His next steps have not yet been announced, and Marni has not named his successor.

Photo: asliceofbambi/Instagram