Missoni key fashion moments
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In 1958 the first Missoni collection was presented at La Rinascente in Milan. Called Milano-Simpathy it featured strongly coloured striped knitted shirt dresses and marked the beginning of Tai’s crossover from sportswear to fashion, inspired by his wife.Within a couple of years, Missoni dresses has begun to appear in fashion editorials.
After a successful period the Missonis to moved to a larger studio where, in 1962, they reinvented the classic Rachel knitting machine. Historically used to knit shawls, the pair used Rosita’s family knowledge to reinvent the machine. They then used it to produce the new feather light, brightly coloured knitted fabrics that would become their signature. Around this time they also began experimenting with the modern fabric viscose-rayon, which would become one of their favourite materials to work with.
In 1965 Anna Piaggi, then fashion editor of Arianna Magazine, became the first internationally regarded journalist to take a real interest in Missoni. Together with her husband Alfa Castald, Piaggi became the label’s first influential patron. Also in this year Rosita travelled to New York and it was here that she met Emmanuelle Kahn, a young French stylist who would go on to work with the Missonis on their catwalk presentations.
The following year saw the first Missoni catwalk collection presented in Milan. Working with Kahn, the Missonis presented a collection of avant-garde knits in a highly theatrical show which saw models changing behind a transparency, as on a theatre set.
In 1967 Missoni fashion had its first editorial cover on the front of Arianna Magazine. In April of this year the pair presented their first collection at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence for AW67. The story goes that at the last minute Rosita realised that the models were not wearing the correct coloured bras to go with their blouses which were made from the most delicate lamé. She proceeded to send the models down the runway with nothing on under their clothes which under the bright studio lights became completely transparent. The move was lauded by some as a completely original idea, however others were not so enamoured and when Yves Saint Laurent launched his nude look in Paris, following Pitti presentation, the Missonis were not invited.
The Missoni SS68 collection was presented at the Solari swimming pool. Described as a ‘memorable and singular aquatic fashion show’ the presentation featured blow up armchairs and transparent floating furniture. By the end of 1967 customers were able to buy Missoni in Paris.
During the ensuing years the company’s profile grew with an increased interest from the lucrative American market and its first French editorial success when Missoni featured on the front cover of French Elle. By the end of the decade Missoni was featuring in the influential Women’s Wear Daily magazine. The Missonis also met US Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland who became their champion, arranging a series of meetings with important American buyers.
In 1972 The New York Times declared Missoni ‘the new status symbol of Italian design’. They were listed among the top twenty fashion powers by Women’s Wear Daily and were proclaimed as the best knitwear designers in the world. Missoni were presented with the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in 1973.
The following year Missoni moved its catwalk presentation from Florence to Milan. In Vogue America’s February 1975 edition Missoni was named as one of its top ten influential fashion labels.
A new Missoni boutique was opened in Milan in 1976 and Ottavio was proclaimed one of the ten most elegant men in the world.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their company, the Missonis starred in a retrospective exhibition at the Rotonda di Vita Besana in Milan. The astonishingly successful exhibition then travelled to the Whitney Museum in New York.
Their first Missoni menswear collection was presented in October 1979 and the first Missoni fragrance was launched in the following year.
In 1983 the Missonis made their debut as costume designers at La Scala Theatre in Milan. They created more than a hundred costumes for Donizetti’s opera ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’.
In 1997 a new line of Missoni shoes and footwear was launched.
1998 saw the introduction of a new diffusion line for both men and women called M Missoni. During this year Rosita, having grown tired of the fashion industry and wishing to follow her husband into other projects handed over control to their daughter Angela.
1998 saw the introduction of a new diffusion line for both men and women called M Missoni. During this year Rosita, having grown tired of the fashion industry and wishing to follow her husband into other projects handed over control to their daughter Angela.
At the turn of the century the Missoni website was launched and was followed by a period of store growth and refurbishment. By this point Missoni was more than the leading force in stylish knitwear, it had grown to encompass an entire lifestyle brand.
2003 saw Missoni’s 50th anniversary. The SS04 shown that year was a flashback to the company’s seventies heyday with a succession of models wearing trademark Missoni dresses and assorted striped knits. These were coupled with colourful pop art leopard prints and fashion forward cut-out swimsuits and gowns. The show was followed by a retrospective presentation of over 100 archive pieces from the company’s long history.
For the AW04 Missoni collection capes were a strong theme; fabrics ranged from ice-cream parlour coloured zigzag knits to furs cleverly dip-dyed in Missoni’s signature stripes. Again the seventies were a strong influence in the swirling patterns, swinging fringing and halter neck embellished evening gowns.
Embracing a new sense of romantic prettiness, Missoni’s SS05 collection was undoubtedly inspired by Margherita Missoni. The collection revolved around a playful fruit theme with a colour palette of banana, peach and pistachio and whimsical fruit appliqués on the Missoni clothing. This season also saw the debut of the Missoni jeans and denim range with strawberry pink and vanilla seventies style flares and micro-shorts.
In late 2005 Missoni and the Rezidor Hotel Group signed a contract to create Hotel Missoni, a lifestyle hotel chain aiming to open 30 hotels by 2012. Locations ranged from Edinburgh to Kuwait City.
The Missoni AW07 collection had a strong forties feel. Angela expertly mixed a seventies inspired arid colour palette of beige, brown, dusty pink and mustard with ‘Hollywood Golden Age’ big shouldered furs, tailored flares, calf length skirts and trademark capped sleeve Missoni dresses.
AW11 centred around a fairytale lightness with pink, pistachio, lilac and baby blue ruling the colour scheme. Added to this were oversized tops and jumpers, mannish tailoring and floor sweeping skirts. The full length pastel python print Missoni coats had an element of Ossie Clark.