Moschino is about to enter a brand-new era. The Italian label has just named Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo as its new co-creative directors, according to Vogue. In their role, the pair will lead Moschino’s brand vision and design teams across the label’s various collections, including womenswear and menswear. Previously, the position was held by Adrian Appiolaza, who left the brand days before their appointment.
Both Messina and Rizzo have the design backgrounds to support their new roles at Moschino. The duo previously founded the beloved independent label Sunnei in 2014, known for its colorful and playfully subversive designs. In 2020, the pair sold the brand’s majority stake to Vanguards Group for €6 million (approximately $6.86 million USD), later stepping down from the label before its liquidation last year.
Their appointment continues a recent tradition of placing independent fashion designers at the helm of Moschino. Appiolaza had held the role since early 2024, following the sudden death of Davide Renne just nine days after he was appointed creative director in November prior. With a resume spanning Chloé, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, and Loewe, Appiolaza brought a reverence for theatrical design and Moschino’s own history to his collections — resulting in viral pieces like the label’s spaghetti and pizza slice clutches, as well as its buckled Tie Me handbag line.
Before Renne and Appiolaza, Moschino experienced a defining resurgence under Jeremy Scott. Known for his namesake brand’s bold collections and longtime Adidas collaboration, Scott was appointed Moschino’s creative director in October 2013. During his tenure, the label leaned fully into whimsy and play, producing cartoon-like collections themed around Barbie, the circus, fast food, astronauts, game shows, and the reign of Marie Antoinette.
Messina and Rizzo’s sense of humor is certainly well-aligned with Moschino’s DNA. Their appointment also fits neatly into the mid-2020s designer shuffle, which has seen Henry Zankov rejoin Diane von Furstenberg and Grace Wales Bonner move to Hermès as creative director of menswear. With their first Moschino collection expected on the runway in September, the duo has big shoes to fill — and every reason to make a bold first impression.
