STILL FAMILY OWNED AFTER SIX DECADES, MISSONI, WHICH REVOLUTIONIZED THE CONCEPT OF KNITWEAR, REMAINS AN A LISTER GO TO

BY KARDIA YAZMYNE WILLIAMS

The Missoni brand founded in Gallarate, Italy in 1953 and now headquartered in Varese is remarkable in many respects, not least in steadfastly remaining a family owned enterprise and not agreeing to be gobbled by a conglomerate. Passed through generations for six decades and counting, it made a name by giving knitwear a sleek elegance never seen prior. What began as simple workshop specializing in that joined row technique is now an icon famed for bold color and sophisticated designs, simultaneously making knits not only cool, but sexy. These aren’t your grandma’s patterns.

The story began with husband and wife Ottavio and Rosita Missoni. Born in 1921 in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, Ottavio was a former Olympic hurdler. During his days as an athlete, he developed an activewear brand with fellow Olympic teammate, Giorgio Oberweger. They new company produced wool tracksuits (dubbed “Venjulia suits”) that were designed to provide athletes with functionality and ease of movement. They were selected to be worn by the Italian Olympic team in 1948, of which Ottavio was a member.

In 1953, Missoni married Rosita Jelmini, whose family owned a shawl manufacturing business in Golasecca, Italy. The couple settled in Gallarate in the Alto Milanese region, where they opened Maglificio Jolly, a machine knitwear workshop. They experimented with various forms of and techniques for manufacturing knitwear, and would in time produce lightweight varieties. The burgeoning label had Ottavio serving as colorist and pattern designer, while Rosita was responsible for designing cuts and shapes of garments.

In 1958, the Italian fashion house Missoni was officially launched, and its lightweight knits and other colorfully striped garments were in short order sold in department stores in Milan. The label caught the attention of fashion writer Anna Piaggi, who wrote glowingly of the brand in a number of articles. The company made its debut runway presentation in 1967 in Florence. It caused a sensation, garnering attention and praise from style elites such as Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, and being feature described in other magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Wear Daily, and Elle. Missoni reached its pinnacle in the 1970s (the age of lightweight knit separates) with boldly colorful zig zag patterns that became a cult fashion favorite. (Inspired by Ottavio’s own watercolor paintings, the patterns alone were regarded as works of art prompting a show of both his textiles and paintings at a 1975 Venice exhibition.)

The brand is still sought after by celebrities and royals. Actresses Katie Holmes, Hailey Baldwin, and Jessica Biel have been seen wearing its designs, while Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, is frequently photographed in Missoni, most recently in a head turning mint green dress while visiting Ireland.

The owning couple made a point of including family in the business, and in 1996 handed day to day control to their three children. Son Vittorio was appointed marketing director, while another son, Luca, served as menswear designer until 2008, after which he took on another role in the company. Daughter Angela is the current creative director. Even with the passing of Ottavio in 2013, his children have continued the legacy and quality of the name, ensuring that it will be passed on to yet further generations. Granddaughter Margherita, for example, is the creative director of the M Missoni line, one embracing a more youthful aesthetic.

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