In brief
Rosita Missoni, the revered co-founder of the iconic knitwear brand Missoni, has passed away at the age of 93. The news was confirmed by Attilio Fontana, the president of the Lombardy region in Italy, who highlighted her contribution to the fashion industry through her signature "multicoloured textures." He expressed that her passing is a significant loss for Italy and the province of Varese, where she was born and spent her life.
Established in 1953, Missoni was founded by Rosita and her late husband Ottavio in the picturesque northern Italian region. Rosita, whose legacy is deeply rooted in her family's work as shawl-makers, was born in Golasecca, Lombardy in 1931. Her journey in design began during a study trip to London, where she met Ottavio, known as Tai, during the 1948 Olympic Games, where he competed in the 400m hurdles. Tai had started producing knit tracksuits, sparking the couple's foray into the fashion industry when they married the same year, with sewing machines in tow.Their breakthrough moment occurred in 1958 when a Milanese department store placed a large order for Missoni's distinctive striped dresses. The brand made waves with its first catwalk show in 1966 and solidified its reputation during a controversial show in Florence the following year when models were instructed to remove their bras due to visibility beneath their clothing. This pivotal moment catapulted Missoni into international fame. Following Tai's death in 2013, their daughter Angela took the helm of the fashion house, while Rosita continued to influence the brand's home line, Missoni Home.
