CEO Stefano Rosso on ushering in Marni’s new era

The global luxury industry is in a period of adjustment — consumers more discerning, the market reassessing brands on genuine value and cultural substance. For a brand like Marni, renowned for its artistic temperament and singular creative vision, this is a competitive advantage. That story begins in 1994, when Consuelo Castiglioni founded Marni in Milan. From the outset, the brand existed outside the mainstream — neither following the austerity of minimalism nor indulging in ornate decoration, but forging a distinct third path between the two. At the core of this path is Marni’s signature eclecticism: bringing together elements that seemingly have no business sharing the same garment — exaggerated silhouettes, bold color combinations, clashing prints, unconventional fabrics — with total conviction. The result is not chaos but an unclassifiable sophistication. This “harmonious contradiction” also made Marni one of the earliest luxury brands to embody what would later be called the “dopamine” aesthetic. Underpinning this visual adventure is founder Consuelo’s philosophy of freedom and comfort. In Marni’s world, clothing exists not to define the wearer but to encourage self-expression through unexpected combinations. That outlook quickly won the brand a following among intellectual women, artists, and creative individuals unwilling to dress to anyone else’s script. OTB acquired a majority stake in Marni in 2012, taking full ownership in 2015. The following year, founder Consuelo stepped down, with Francesco Risso succeeding her as creative director. Over the next decade, Risso infused the brand with emotionally charged, artistically driven work, gradually evolving Marni from a label defined by its aesthetic into a broader creative platform with a committed cultural community. From Brooklyn to Tokyo, he took the runway beyond Milan, drawing Marni into a wider global conversation about fashion and culture. Meryll Rogge resets the creative language As Risso’s tenure drew to a close, Marni turned a new creative page. On July 15, 2025, Belgian designer Meryll Rogge was appointed creative director, marking a significant shift in the brand’s creative leadership. Rogge’s work is characterized by considered deconstruction and precise detailing — rooted in the Belgian design tradition, yet carried with a warm, relaxed ease. She spent seven years at Marc Jacobs before returning to Antwerp as Head of Women’s Design at Dries Van Noten, sharpening her aesthetic instincts across both houses. In 2020, her eponymous label earned swift industry attention for its distinctive slip dresses and immediately recognizable knitwear. Her instincts align naturally with the relaxed, individualized design language of the brand’s original vision. The debut collection she presented at Milan Fashion Week prompted widespread comment that the original Marni had returned — the experimental spirit, the relaxed silhouettes, the narrative woven into the prints all resurfacing within the collection. Rogge reactivated the brand’s DNA with nuance — never overwrought, always grounded in wearability. Even the polka dot, a Marni signature, was reworked with fresh intent: hollow cutouts knitted into chunky sweaters, oversized sequins adorning slip dresses. The collection left the industry curious about what she would do next. Behind the creative momentum, the business groundwork had already been laid. In May 2024, Stefano Rosso was appointed CEO of Marni. As Chairman of Maison Margiela from 2023, he had worked alongside Creative Director John Galliano during a period of significant commercial growth for the house — demonstrating a rare capability in the process: protecting a brand’s DNA while steering it onto a broader commercial trajectory. That track record was OTB’s rationale for moving him to Marni. In this edition of the C-suite Visionaries column, Jing Daily sat down with Rosso to discuss Marni’s strategic direction and future roadmap. “The era of Marni is arriving,” he says. Jing Daily: Since its founding, Marni has been known for its distinct artistic temperament and aesthetic. How do you define the brand’s strategic role within OTB’s portfolio? Stefano Rosso: What’s special about our group is that we always provide fertile ground for creativity. Every brand has a clear creative proposition, and we support it through resources and structure. Marni’s distinctiveness within that portfolio lies in how it expresses creativity: it’s a form of modern elegance that simultaneously carries bold viewpoints and expressive power. We don’t shy away from prints, color, and fluid silhouettes. That feels quite different from how many brands on the market approach creativity. JD: The luxury industry is in a period of structural adjustment. How are you planning Marni’s long-term growth path in that context? SR: Having a point of view and voicing it is crucial. Marni’s creative language is clear — what we want to do has always been clear. The first layer of that distinctiveness lies in ensuring our products convey it. The second is how you transmit that to the end consumer. A brand’s success depends on how it connects and resonates with its community. In the coming months, we plan to invest more time and energy in that area. JD: A change of creative director often marks a pivotal moment in a brand’s strategic development. How do you view Meryll Rogge’s appointment? SR: Meryll is an exceptionally talented creative. We had been watching her for a long time. What made her the right fit is a very modern perspective on design — and yet her collections are incredibly wearable. She has a sensibility that speaks to contemporary design, but she also makes clothes that connect with people and can genuinely be worn every day. That’s what we appreciate most. Beyond that, she has a natural creative intuition that sits very close to the brand’s DNA, as her debut show clearly demonstrated. She brought together elements from the Marni archive with her own aesthetic perspective and a distinctly modern approach to everyday dressing. JD: You have a background in digital communications, which is unusual for a fashion executive. Has that shaped your approach to managing a brand like Marni? SR: I’ve always believed that society is driven by how we behave, how we consume, the choices we make every day. Understanding that is crucial to me, and technology is a vital part of it. Every technological revolution reshapes how we live, and for a brand, the key is understanding where that leads. We stay forward-looking. We actively explore new technologies and integrate them into our operations and our dialogue with consumers. A recent example is blockchain: Marni has joined OTB’s blockchain consortium and for over a year has implemented anti-counterfeiting verification through RFID tags embedded in all products. This is a significant step we’ve taken in using technology to create real value for consumers — because months ago, when you walked into any brand store and bought an item, the moment you walked out, no one could prove it was authentic or fake. Now, with technology, we can. JD: Which regions will be the focus of Marni’s growth in the coming years, and what roles do Asia, North America, and Europe each play in that roadmap? SR: Marni’s current focus remains Asia. Japan is our largest market globally, and China is also crucial — so our strategic focus will continue to center on this region. In Europe, the goal is to consolidate. The market is facing headwinds from ongoing conflicts in surrounding areas. North America, meanwhile, represents significant growth potential. The brand’s current performance there doesn’t match the market’s scale — momentum is good, but in terms of business volume, we are far from where we should be. JD: How do you view the Chinese market, and how is Marni approaching it? SR: The Chinese market has changed rapidly. It is now a mature and sophisticated luxury market — consumers know what they want, they can discern value, and they understand what’s worth pursuing. For us, that means two things: conveying genuine value through quality products and considered pricing, and building broader, deeper connections with end consumers. Many of our future actions in China will focus on meaningful customer engagement and community building. We believe that authentic, direct connections with our community will be key to the brand’s success in this market. JD: Will Marni invest more in localized projects in China — art collaborations, cultural events, digital experiences — to strengthen engagement with younger consumers? SR: We are open to all forms of collaboration, whether with local partners, brands, artists, or creative talents. That said, our immediate priority is to consolidate the footprint established by Meryll’s debut show. We need to build on that new creative tone before pushing further. We already have several collaborations in the pipeline, and once this foundation is stable, we will move forward with those. If the timing is right, we would also be very happy to explore opportunities with local partners in China. JD: What is Marni’s core vision for the Chinese market, and what do you see as the biggest challenge in achieving it? SR: Our goal is to make Marni the most influential new luxury brand in China. The value proposition is clear, the new creative direction is established. What we need to do now is communicate that effectively to Chinese consumers — that will be the main focus in the coming months. The biggest challenge is the sheer scale of the market. China is so vast that making a real impact is not easy. The hardest part is finding a precise approach to reach consumers and capture their attention. But the foundation is solid: a new creative direction, strong products, and pricing within a considered range. Winning that attention is both our biggest challenge and our biggest opportunity. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.

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CEO Stefano Rosso on ushering in Marni’s new era