Rosita Missoni, the renowned co-founder of the legendary Italian knitwear brand, has passed away at the age of 93.
The news was announced by Attilio Fontana, the president of Italy’s Lombardy region, who celebrated Missoni’s pioneering work in “multicoloured textures” that defined the brand.
He acknowledged her death as “a significant loss for Italy, Lombardy, and particularly for the province of Varese, where she was born and raised.”
Rosita established the luxury label, famous for its distinct zig-zag patterns, alongside her husband Ottavio in 1953 in the heart of northern Italy.
Born in 1931 in Golasecca, Lombardy, to shawl-making parents, Rosita’s journey into the fashion world began during a trip to London, where she met Ottavio while he was competing in the 400m hurdles at the 1948 Olympic Games.
At that time, he was creating innovative knit tracksuits designed to be worn over trainers.
“When I got married, four sewing machines arrived with my husband,” Rosita shared in a past interview.
The duo married in 1953 and soon opened a machine-knitwear workshop in Gallarate, northwest of Milan.
Their breakthrough moment came in 1958 when a Milanese department store placed a significant order for Missoni-branded striped dresses.
Missoni made its debut on the catwalk in 1966, followed by a prestigious presentation at Florence’s Pitti Palace in 1967.
A notable controversy arose when models were asked to remove their white bras during a show, as they were visible under sheer blouses, catapulting the brand into international prominence.
Ottavio Missoni passed away in 2013 at the age of 92, and their daughter Angela assumed control of the fashion house in the late 1990s, while Rosita continued to manage the Missoni Home line.
