With barely a moment for the dust to settle on fashion month – which ended this past Tuesday in Paris – this week has proved one of industry shake-up, as the game of designer musical chairs continues. Yesterday was the announcement that Hedi Slimane was to leave Celine, replaced by Polo Ralph Lauren’s Michael Rider, while this morning news comes from Milan that Filippo Grazioli is exiting Missoni, succeeded by a veteran of the Italian brand, Alberto Caliri.
Grazioli’s tenure has been short, having joined Missoni in 2022. His collections brought a youthful spirit to the 1953-founded label, often defined by a bold use of colour and sinuous, body-bearing silhouettes. He held what would be his final show as part of Milan Fashion Week last month, an experimental outing inspired by ‘the energy of chaos through the endless dance of colours and shapes’ and the modernist wire sculptures of American artist Ruth Asawa.
‘It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of Missoni. I am proud of the achievements and the experiences shared with the entire team. I am now ready to face new challenges and explore new frontiers,’ Grazioli said in a statement.
Filippo Grazioli to exit Missoni, succeeded by Alberto Caliri
A look from Missoni’s S/S 2025 collection, which will be Filippo Grazioli’s last
(Image credit: Courtesy of Missoni)
Caliri first joined the brand in 1998, working closely with Angela Missoni on the house’s runway collections. He would take over as interim designer after her exit in 2021, showing two collections before shifting over to the homeware side of the brand, supervised by Missoni co-founder Rosita Missoni. The brand hopes that his appointment will bring more cohesion to the label, uniting the men’s, women’s and home collections under a singular vision.
Deeply embedded in the label, it will likely shift a move towards a more traditional vision of Missoni, one rooted in its founding principles of craft and colour, as well as focussing on the house’s recognisable motifs, like the zig-zag or stripe. He will show his first collection as part of the pre-fall season, with a first runway show expected next year.
Though there were rumours of Grazioli’s exit, Missoni was not one of the fashion houses that eyes have been on this week: an announcement from Chanel about their latest creative director is still awaited, while Dries Van Noten is also without creative leadership after the exit of the eponymous designer earlier this year. Whether they will add to an already busy week of fashion news – or whether there will be more surprises in store – remains to be seen.
missoni.com