After nearly 10 years as creative director, Francesco Risso is exiting Marni, the OTB-owned House announced on Wednesday.

“Marni has been a studio, a stage, a dream. It carried color, instinct, care and gave space for people to be themselves,” Risso said in a press statement. “It taught me how to build with feeling, and how powerful true collaboration can be. Thank you to the whole Marni team, and to all the friends who joined along the way, and here’s to more extraordinary journeys ahead!”

Upon his appointment in 2016, Risso faced high expectations: He succeeded Marni founder Consuelo Castiglioni, and immediately dealt with skepticism around how he would continue the designer’s momentum. Throughout his tenure, Risso proposed a brand refresh: He took the label’s eclectic and crafty style and modernized it with more streamlined, refined silhouettes. He guided Marni into a new era of cultural relevance, thanks to buzzy celebrity red-carpet moments and viral fashion shows.  

“Francesco has embraced the spirit and the values of the house, and together with the team brought them to new grounds building the foundations for a new and exciting chapter of Marni. Francesco is a unique designer and an artist at heart, and I wish him only the best for the future,” said Renzo Rosso, chairman of OTB.

OTB has not named Risso’s successor, nor has the Italian designer shared his next steps. He now joins the ranks of high-profile designers without a job, alongside John Galliano, Hedi Slimane, Virginie Viard, Phillip Lim, and, recently, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Kim Jones.

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