Rosita Missoni, co-founder of the eponymous Italian fashion house Missoni, has died at age 93.
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As reported by the AFP, Attilio Fontana, president of the northern Italian region of Lombardy, confirmed her death on New Year’s Day.
“The passing of Rosita Missoni, a Lombard stylist and entrepreneur known throughout the world, saddens us,” Fontana said in his statement. “A great loss for Italy, Lombardy and for the province of Varese where she was born and lived.”
Missoni and her husband, Ottavio (known as “Tai”), co-founded the fashion house. They soon became known worldwide for their bright, geometric patterns. In 1977, New York Times fashion journalist Bernadine Morris said the brand had “elevated knitting to an art form.”
Missoni Established Itself With Signature Knitting and Zigzag Patterns
The brand mourned its matriarch in social media posts. They wrote, “The Missoni family and Missoni Group announce the passing of Rosita Missoni, a central figure in Italian fashion.”
“Rosita’s creative vision and tireless dedication made the Missoni style a symbol of Made in Italy worldwide,” the statement continued. “Her artistic legacy will continue to live on through her creations, symbols of beauty and joy, inspiring fashion and design enthusiasts.”
Rosita was born in Golasecca in Northern Italy in 1931. She met her husband, a Croatian-born track and field star, when he was competing for Italy in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
The pair married in 1953 and shared three children. Their eldest son, Vittorio Missoni, was killed in a 2013 plane crash off the coast of Venezuela. Vittorio also worked in the family business, serving as marketing director for the brand.
Tai died four months later, in May 2013, but before the wreckage of Vittorio’s plane had been discovered.
Rosita served as Missoni’s creative director for womenswear collections until the late 1990s. She then passed the torch to her daughter, Angela.
She made headlines in 1967 during the infamous “Battle of the Bras.”
While showing a collection at the Pitti Palace in Florence, Rosita instructed models to remove their bras, which were visible through their tops, ruining the intended fashion.
However, under the runway lights, the outfits were still transparent, causing a scandal. The brand was briefly blacklisted from the event, but later became internationally famous, appearing in many magazines and popularizing their signature colorful zigzag style.
Rosita died at her home in Sumirago on Jan. 1, though a cause of death has not yet been released.