Marni announces that Consuelo Castiglioni is stepping down as creative director of the house she founded over 20 years ago. It is a personal decision of the designer of the Italian company which is part of the group OTB since 2013.

Thus Consuelo Castiglioni: “These were hectic and exciting years which absorbed all of my energies to create a project I am proud of. Thanks also to the constant support of my family who allowed me to stay true to my idea, I built a brand with a precise and recognizable identity. The time has now come to dedicate myself to my private life. I thank all the people who believed in this project and who, with loyal dedication, have helped me along this fantastic journey”.

Simultaneously, Marni announces that the creative direction of the brand has been entrusted to Francesco Risso. Francesco studied at Florence Polimoda, at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and at Central Saint Martin’s in London. His work experiences started at Anna Molinari, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, and Malo, until 2008 when he joined Prada Group to work on Prada women’s show collections and on special brand endorsement projects. Francesco will be responsible for all Marni collections for Fall/Winter 2017.

Renzo Rosso, President of OTB, comments: “The world pays tribute to the original vision of Consuelo, and to a unique brand which we are proud to have in our group. I wish her the very best. 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”.