Francesco Risso has left Marni

Today marks the end of an era: Francesco Risso has left Marni after nine years, with a surprise announcement released by Vogue this morning. It is still unclear when his successor will be announced or what the brand’s future plans are. During his long tenure, Risso brought a wave of artistry to an increasingly corporate fashion world, upholding Marni’s name after the departure of cult designer Consuelo Castiglioni and steering the brand toward more contemporary dimensions through an increasingly avant-garde style and collaborations with artists and musicians like Erykah Badu.

Risso’s exit from the brand completes the renewal of the creative leadership within the OTB group, which saw Simone Bellotti join Jil Sander, Glenn Martens replace John Galliano at Maison Margiela and, if rumors are true, might soon bring a new creative director to Diesel as well. And although it is sad to see a brilliant and free-minded creative like Risso leave the brand, this news confirms that the next two seasons, increasingly filled with debuts and new announcements, could mark a complete change of pace for fashion in recent years.