Missoni Italian Fashion

The Missonis became famous for their very unique trademark design: amazing colors and geometrical patterns, one of the most recognizable looks of Italian fashion.

The Missoni Fashion House has been able to create an immediately recognizable style. With a kaleidoscope of colors, unusual color combinations, zig-zags, lines, waves, patchworks, flowers, and flames Missoni has become a worldwide symbol of Italian style.

The unique style is joyful, unconventional, and characterized by bright knitted patterns. It shows a close intertwining with the European art world, in particular abstract and informal art.

There is a lot of study and research behind the lively colors and creative graphic effects. Innovative knitting techniques, with varying textures and weighs of the threads, have raised the fashion lines of Missoni to glorified objects.

The Missoni Fashion business was founded on 18 April 1953 by Ottavio Missoni (11 February 1921 – 9 May 2013) and his wife Rosita Jelmini (1931- ), on the day of their wedding. Since then it has been a crescendo of success and honors for the brand Missoni, now recognized worldwide as one of the most artful and colorful designer lines.

Before starting in the clothing business, Ottavio Missoni dedicated his life to sport, participating also in the 1948 Summer Olimpics in London, where he met his wife.

After they got married, in 1953, they lived in Milan, Italy and started a clothing business in their basement. Their style was really unique and revolutionary for those times, and Ottavio was the salesperson going to stores and trying to convince them to take a break from the dark colors of the Italian after-WWII style, and buy colorful knittings, tailored in a very original style.

Slowly success and recognition started to trickle in, and in 1967 Missoni participated in the renowned fashion show in Palazzo Pitti, Florence with a collection that anticipated the “nude look”, a style not yet understood or accepted, so the Fashion House received negative critiques by the organizers of the show and were not invited back the next year.

In 1968 Yves Saint Laurent proposed the nude look with better success, in the meanwhile Missoni started expanding overseas, opening a store in New York City in 1970.

In the 70s Americans fashion experts described the Missoni style as put-together: Missoni’s prints would make even the most casual look appear fashion-forward and refined.

The three Missoni children, Vittorio, Luca, and Angela, grew up highly involved in the family business and gradually took roles of high responsibility.

For years they actively participated in the creation of the innovative Missoni concept, that joining artisan skills with high technology and combining esthetic innovation with development of new looks.

After Ottavio Missoni died in 2013, his children kept managing the business. The evergreen brand continues to fascinate and enthuse people everywhere.

Today Missoni is one of the best known design brands in the world. With its colorful vision of esthetics, the fashion home continues to influence the modern life style, also thanks to the great success of the Missoni Home line and the recent opening of the gorgeous five-star Hotels Missoni.

The Hotels are in Edinburgh and in Kuwait, stunning and contemporary landmarks, decorated with bold and genial Missoni style that goes from the linens and bathrobe, to the mosaics and furnishing.