Francesco Risso is leaving Marni, after imbuing the Italian fashion house with a boldly colorful, artistic, and thought-provoking sensibility during his decade-long tenure as creative director.

The news was announced today by Renzo Rosso, chair of OTB Group, who thanked the designer for a memorable chapter. “Francesco is a unique designer and an artist at heart, and I wish him only the best for the future,” Rosso told Vogue Business.

Rossi, who was relatively unknown when he was tapped for the top job at the beloved label, stepping into the shoes of its founder Consuelo Castiglioni, who established the brand in 1994. Rossi reflected on the formative stint, saying: “I will always be grateful to Renzo for believing in me, for giving me the front seat on a journey that became more than I could have imagined.”

Known for his own eccentric personality and maximalist approach to both life and design, the award-winning designer added that his time at the helm taught him how to create and build with feeling. “Marni has been a studio, a stage, a dream. It carried color, instinct, care, and gave space for people to be themselves. It taught me how to build with feeling and how powerful true collaboration can be.”

Pre-Marni, Polimoda/Central Saint Martins-educated Risso had cut his teeth at Prada and Alessandro Dell’Acqua. At Marni, Risso’s sculptural and avant garde aesthetic became a favorite of boundary-breaking artists, with his atelier often creating custom red carpet pieces for the likes of Hunter Schafer, Erykah Badu, Rita Ora, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, Julia Fox, and many more.

GQ magazine honored Risso’s work and impact at its annual Global Creativity Awards, and he received the 2024 Pratt Fashion Visionary Award from the New York City-based art and fashion design school. He was also appointed to the board of the Fashion Trust US Awards earlier this year.

A successor has not yet been announced — nor has Risso hinted at what he might do next.