Rosita Missoni, co-founder of the celebrated Italian knitwear brand Missoni, has died at the age of 93.
The president of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, confirmed the news, describing Missoni as a symbol of “multicoloured textures” and an enduring legacy. He called her passing “a great loss for Italy, Lombardy, and the province of Varese, where she was born and lived.”
Born in 1931 in Golasecca, Lombardy, Rosita grew up in a family of shawl makers. She met her husband Ottavio, known as Tai, in London while studying English. Their meeting took place during the 1948 Olympic Games, where Tai competed in the 400m hurdles. At the time, he was producing knit tracksuits, including zippered trousers designed to fit over trainers.
In 1953, the couple married and established a small machine-knitwear workshop in Gallarate, northwest of Milan. That same year, they founded the Missoni brand, which would later become synonymous with vibrant patterns, particularly its iconic zig-zag motif.
Their breakthrough came in 1958 when a Milan department store ordered hundreds of Missoni-striped dresses. By 1966, the brand held its first catwalk show, followed by a significant presentation at the Pitti Palace in Florence in 1967. A controversy over models removing white bras under sheer blouses during the show propelled Missoni to international fame.
Tai Missoni passed away in 2013 at the age of 92. Despite stepping back from daily operations in the late 1990s, Rosita remained deeply involved, focusing on the label’s home line, Missoni Home.
Rosita Missoni’s influence on the fashion world extends beyond her innovative designs. Her creative partnership with Tai transformed a small workshop into a globally recognised luxury brand.
She is survived by her children, including Angela, who took over the Missoni fashion house in the late 1990s.
