Missoni: all in the Famiglia at Missoni

The weather gods were kind to Missoni last night, as the house and family celebrated the 65th anniversary of the brand with a memorable show staged on an elevated concourse looking out over Milan’s new boom district, Milan Fiera City.

A large cast of models toured the open-air space before the audience, placed on aluminum chairs and coffee tables, while pianist Michael Nyman played a brilliant series of bold tunes under the stars. After a rousing ovation, ten members of the family took their bow together on the stage, including mum Rosita, daughter and creative director Angela, and granddaughter Margherita.

The show was the first since investment fund FSI bought a 41-percent stake in the house in June, injecting 70 million euros in a striking vote of confidence in the house. Founded 65 years ago by Tai and Rosita Missoni with a couple of knitting machines and the belief that people will always want some optimism and fantasy.

They got plenty of that in this co-ed show. With beautiful color-block kimono jackets; floor-scraping, fringed chenille pants; loosely woven, knee-length cashmere cardigans in sherbet colors and fab intarsia sweaters – the signature Missoni item.

For men, Angela showed great multi-stripe blazers; faded madras linen blazers and crew neck patchwork jerseys. All of them with the colorful zest which one associates with the name Missoni.

All staged before the giant PwC tower of Daniel Libeskind and the undulating white apartment complex called Zaha Hadid Residences. Italy may have suffered more than most from the long crisis of the euro, but one had little sense of that at this show, as the cast marched out on the huge esplanade, with new skyscrapers being completed nearby.

“We’re very happy with our investment. It’s a vote in the Missoni clan. Because, we believe there is still a great future in fashion and luxury for la Famiglia Italiana,” said Michele Norsa, the former CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo, who now sits on the board of both FSI and Ermenegildo Zegna.

Now, if it had rained, the show would have been a wash out. But it remained balmy, and post-show guests were able to enjoy some fine Tuscan red, Franciacorta bubbly, porchetta and all manner of Mediterranean vegetables, as all manner of the guests danced into the wee hours.

Missoni, a great Italian fashion institution, with a generous Italian heart and a bright future.

Missoni: all in the Famiglia at Missoni

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