Rosita Missoni built a heritage brand with her husband, Ottavio Missoni, and family. The brand, founded in 1958, is known for its artisan knits in colorful combinations. By the 1970s, the Missoni brand was a fashion sensation but only after a first showing in Florence caused a scandal in 1968. The nude look they showed was not exactly a trend at the time. Rosita was the designer of the brand with Ottavio being the technician. In a 1971 interview with WWD with the couple in Milan, before visiting New York to present the brand’s spring 1970 collection, Rosita made clear the aesthetics of Missoni. For Rosita, fashion was always about being first and “capturing correctly a moment in fashion,” as she told WWD in 1971. A reflection on the Missoni brand that remains true today. Rosita Missoni died on January 2, 2025 at 93.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rosita Missoni photographed at the Missoni studios in Milan, Italy on October 10, 1972.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rosita Missoni photographed at the Missoni studios in Milan, Italy on October 10, 1972.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Ottavio and Rosita Missoni photographed at the Missoni studios in Milan, Italy on October 10, 1972.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Designers Ottavio and Rosita Missoni at the Plaza Hotel in New York to present the Missoni Summer 1970 Ready to Wear Collection on November 11, 1971.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Pierre Schermann Rosita Missoni photographed at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on November 16, 1972.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Pierre Schermann Designers Ottavio Missoni and Rosita Missoni read an issue of Women’s Wear Daily while visiting New York City on November 16, 1972.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Rosita Missoni with a model in a look from the Missoni Spring 1973 Ready to Wear collection preview at the Plaza Hotel in New York on January 1, 1973.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive A model poses in a look from the Missoni Spring 1973 Ready To Wear collection preview at the Plaza Hotel in New York on January 1, 1973.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Nick Machalaba Rosita Missoni and Ottavio Missoni attend the Italian Ready To Wear exhibition fashion show and party at the Pierre Ballroom in New York City on April 19, 1977.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Guy Marineau Rosita Missoni (L) and Ottavio “Tai” Missoni (L) with models in looks from the Missoni Spring 1978 Ready to Wear collection in Milan, Italy, on October 11, 1977.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Designer Rosita Missoni fits a model in a cape from the Missoni Fall 1980 Ready To Wear collection at the Missoni headquarters in Milan, Italy on February 25, 1980.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Michel Maurou Designer Rosita Missoni with models in looks from the Missoni Fall 1980 Ready to Wear collection in Milan, Italy on February 25, 1980.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Tim Jenkins Designer Rosita Missoni in a Missoni necklace and sweater from the Missoni Fall 1983 Ready To Wear collection.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Guy DeLort (L-R) Guest, Ben Bradlee, Geoffrey Beene, and Rosita Missoni attend the Washington Fashion Group AIDS benefit in Washington, D.C., on November 14, 1986.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: David Turner Portraits of Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, October 7, 1994.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Davide Maestri Designers Ottavio and Rosita Missoni on the runway with models during the finale of the Missoni Fall 1996 Ready To Wear collection fashion show in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Ottavio “Tai” Missoni and Rosita Missoni and models walk the Spring 1994 Menswear fashion show in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Donato Sardella Designers Ottavio and Rosita Missoni pose for pictures with their dog on August 9, 1990.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: David Maestri Angela, Ottavio, and Rosita Missoni on the runway during the Missoni Spring 1998 fashion show finale. This is Angela Missoni’s first collection as head designer.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Emanuele Sardella Designers Ottavio and Rosita Missoni with models on the runway at the Missoni Spring 1996 Ready To Wear fashion show finale in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Steve Eichner (L-R) Rosita Missoni, Ottavio Missoni, Angela Mossoni, and Margherita Missoni attend a benefit for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, hosted by Missoni, at the Pier 59 studios in New York City on Dedember 4, 1997.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Designer Rosita Missoni on the runway at the Missoni Spring 1997 Ready to Wear Fashon Show in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Designers Ottavio and Rosita Missoni on the runway during the Missoni Spring 1998 fashion show finale.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Ottavio Missoni (L) and Rosita Missoni attend Missoni’s Fall 2010 Menswear collection presentation in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni The Missoni family attends the Missoni fall 2010 Menswear collection in Milan on January 15, 2010.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: WWD Rosita Missoni, Manolo Blahnik and John Galliano attend Mrs. B 90th Birthday Party during London Fashion Week on February 21, 2016.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Swan Gallet/WWD Francesco Missoni and Rosita Missoni on the front row at the Missoni Fall 2017 Ready To Wear Runway Show in Milan, Italy.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Lodovico Colli Di Felizzano/WWD Rosita Missoni and Angela Missoni attend the amFAR Milano event during Milan Spring 2018 Fashion Week on September 21, 2017.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: François Goizé/WWD Rosita Missoni and Brunello Cucinelli at the Neiman Marcus Group Awards champagne toast on March 5, 2023, at La Suite Girage in Paris, France.
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Rosita Missoni: Matriarch of the Missoni Brand Dies at 93
Image Credit: Lodovico Colli Di Felizzano/WWD Rosita Missoni attends the Missoni Spring 2017 Menswear show during the Milano Moda Uomo Men’s Fashion Week.