5 minute read
MISSONI // 38-39 JÖTTNAR // 40-41 VOLLEBAK
- Rosita Missoni
WORDS JAI MCINTOSH
PHOTOGRAPHY TOM O'DONOGHUE
FORZA MISSONI
- Rosita Missoni
Founded by Ottavio and Rosita Missoni in 1953, Missoni began as a small knitwear shop in Gallarate, Italy, and since then has remained a deeply familial brand. Towards the end of the decade, Missoni first displayed their garments at a Milanese fashion show in 1958. Missoni and the iconic patterned designs began to engage the minds of the Italian fashion scene, with support from the seismic fashion writer and journalist Anna Piaggi and French stylist and future collaborator Emmanuelle Khanh.
THE RISE
The catalytic moment in the making of Missoni as a leading fashion brand was their first show at the Pitti Palace, Florence, in 1967. Shocking audiences at the time in what was referred to in Italian papers as the ‘Crazy Horse’ show, Rosita Missoni, and her burning eye for detail, insisted that the female models remove their bras, as the colours contrasted with the designs they were wearing. Subsequently, the material became somewhat transparent under the lights, meaning the models were exposing body parts which had almost always been covered. Despite not receiving an invitation the following year, Missoni was already taking root in the hearts and minds of the Italian masses, as Ottavio’s grasp of colour and artistry combined with Rosita’s designs created a generational brand and product range. Equally, heads began to turn abroad. In typical Missoni fashion, the brand is supported by leading voices in the culture, such as the French-American Diana Vreeland, former Vogue Editor-in-Chief, and the New York Times’ Bernadine Morris.
The 1970s were the height of the Missoni influence in the world of high fashion. Edward Enninful suggested that Missoni was “representing Italy”. The Missoni range became, specifically for the female audience, the stylistic energy that enthused a new wave of aesthetic and philosophical ideals in relation to fashion and design. Missoni ushered in a colourful artisanal approach, developing their expertise in patterning, printing, and material versatility. Missoni’s savoir faire continued throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s, as they managed to always reinvent ways to remain emblems of the Italian contemporary. As the Missoni family grew and developed, the brand followed in their footsteps. The synergy between family and brand were, and remain, one in the same, with the increasing involvement of Vittorio, Luca, and Angela in the design and business elements of the brand. Rosita began to take a back seat, allowing her children to take the reins of various brand elements.
THE PLATEAU
Commonly, writers are told to abide by their subheading. Yet, this might seem a harsh title given that the brand has hardly fallen in quality and stature since late 1960s. However, there are two tales of despair that sit in a side room at the heart of Missoni. The first, and less tragic, is Rosita Missoni’s growing disillusionment with fashion, in alignment with her lifestyle, towards the turn of the millennium. Believing that fashion is, in part, an expression of youthful courage, Rosita was succeeded by her daughter, Angela Missoni, who since 1998 has taken charge of Missoni as Creative Director. This move allowed Rosita to focus on Missoni Home, a range of uniquely beautiful and functional products to decorate one's house. Fortunately for Rosita, Angela was perfectly poised to take over, with her designs, vision, passion, and attention to detail remaining central to the brand’s identity to this day.
At the same time, Vittorio took charge as Marketing Director, and Luca was promoted to Menswear Designer, a role that lasted until 2008 when he transitioned into Head of Events and Archives. By 2005, Missoni’s main revenue stemmed from womenswear. Between 2007-2009, Massimo Gasparini became CEO of the company, streamlining products and developing corporate structure.
The second act of despair, and without a doubt the most tragic occurred in 2013, when Vittorio Missoni was on a plane that went missing off the coast of Venezuela. After extensive searches for the aircraft, it was recovered north of Los Roques Archipelago. Vittorio’s body was recovered from the wreckage and the darkest part of Missoni’s history was entered.
FORZA MISSONI
Margherita Missoni, Rosita and Ottavio’s granddaughter, began to play a vital role in the Missoni revival. As a brand ambassador, Margherita began to model the Missoni womenswear range, the result being huge national and international attention. In a period where identity began to blur, and creativity began to decrease, Margherita’s influence helped resurrect a brand that needed a new muse; a vision of youthful beauty and courage. It makes perfect sense that, for Missoni, the answer to their creative problems would come from within the family circle. In 2018, the Missoni family sold a 41% share of their company to Fondo Strategico Italiano, a move which helped reignite the brand and opened the doors to new markets and demographics. Three years after the sale in 2021, Angela was succeeded by Alberto Caliri as Womenswear Designer. His new direction has awoken a relatively sleepy giant outside of Italy and the inner circles of fashion, with the brand pillars of colour, bravery, artisanal designs, and family remaining tangible throughout Caliri’s runway shows and product lines.
In 2022, Missoni will have come full circle with a real emphasis on their quality knitwear and original patterns. The SS22 Menswear collection is deeply rooted in the original colourful geometric designs from Ottavio Missoni. Additionally, the SS22 Womenswear collection spotlights independent and decisive femininity; clearly a foundational element of the Missoni family and brand. Equally, there has been a huge revival throughout Europe and North America in the desirability of vintage Missoni, with pieces surfacing with a regularity previously unseen as a new market begins to discover the wonder of this true Italian brand.
The brand remains true to artistic fashion, but also places an emphasis on the conflicts that appear within the real-world. One need only look at the recent Pussyhat initiative in 2017, which solidified Missoni’s stance on women’s rights, as the brand openly supported the initiative started by Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh following the comments of former US President Donald Trump.
IN CLOSING
Beautifully intense and artistically exquisite, bound together by the bonds of family, Missoni has a history and heritage to span the ages. Stepping into the future is always easier when held by the hand of the past. Missoni evolves, always the same, yet always different. Forza Missoni.
Shop Missoni at tessuti.co.uk
