Marni and OTB Group have welcomed The Belgian designer Meryll Rogge as Creative Director of the luxury fashion brand, succeeding Francesco Risso. Meryll Rogge joins Marni following the success of her eponymous brand, Meryll Rogge, which she launched in 2020.
With her sharp eye, uncompromising spirit, and a track record that speaks volumes, Meryll Rogge is set to lead Marni into its next chapter after Francesco Risso. “I’m truly honoured to join Marni, a house I’ve long admired for its independent spirit”, she confirmed in a press statement. “To take on a role defined by such visionary creative directors is both humbling and inspiring.”
At the helm of Marni since 2016, Francesco transformed Marni’s design philosophy, elevating the luxury fashion brand’s approach to craftsmanship. “He brought renewed focus to the tactile qualities that make each piece distinctive, reimbuing soulfulness into every yarn of mohair, every thread of silk. Under his direction, Marni collections became explorations of both form and feeling. His time at Marni was defined by creativity, emotion, and a fearless sense of exploration,” per Marni’s post on LinkedIn.
Risso’s departure from Marni appears to be a part of a broader creative shuffle within parent company OTB Group, which recently appointed Simone Bellotti as Jil Sander creative director and confirmed Glenn Martens for Diesel and Maison Margiela. “It is a great pleasure to welcome Meryll in Marni,” said Stefano Rosso, CEO of Marni. “She is an exceptional creative talent and an inspiring woman, whose vision and expertise will play a key role in shaping the future of this amazing brand.”
“We met many highly qualified candidates, confirming how Marni continues to inspire and attract creatives from around the world”, revealed Renzo Rosso, Chairman of OTB. “Meryll impressed us with the sensitivity she brought to reinterpreting the brand’s DNA, offering a contemporary vision that embraces Marni globally and across all its dimensions – including accessories, interior design, communication, and special projects.”
Who Is Meryll Rogge?
Born in Ghent, Belgium, Meryll studied Fashion Design at the Royal Academy of Antwerp. She then moved to New York, joining Marc Jacobs’ design team. Nearly seven years later, she returned to Antwerp to become Head of Women’s Design at Dries Van Noten where she stayed for four years, also developing and conceptualising the beauty line until 2025.
Meanwhile, she launched her own fashion label, Meryll Rogge, in 2020, gaining recognition for its upcycled fashion and subversive tailoring. Rogge was named Emerging Talent of the Year at Belgian Fashion Awards 2021, followed by Designer of the Year in 2024. Recently, Meryll was the recipient of the Grand Prix at the 2025 ANDAM Fashion Awards.
Marni
Founded in Milan in 1994 by Swiss fashion designer Consuelo Castiglioni in collaboration with her business partner and husband Gianni Castiglioni Marni has become internationally renowned for its experimental collections. Per BoF: “Consuelo Castiglioni won praise for her sophisticated and forward-thinking designs that boasted a cult global following and admiration from influential industry insiders. Despite no formal education in fashion design, her sharp silhouettes with its bold prints and textures made her one of the most creative designers in Fashion.”
Initially a side business of the Castiglioni’s fur business the label became independent of the family business in 1999 and Consuelo Castiglioni developed a fashion-forward experimental design aesthetic. While fur continued to feature in Marni collections the brand was widely popular for its original prints designed in alliance with artists such as photographer Richard Prince, pop artist Sir Peter Blake and musician Kim Gordon. In 2000 the brand expanded into key markets and opened near hundred standalone stores and luxury department stores. During this time Marni forayed into e-retail with the launch of an online store which not only offered e-commerce but also presented the world of Marni through dedicated sections on its artistic collaborations and key projects.
In 2012 Consuelo Castiglioni inked a creative collaboration with H&M and the result was a sellout capsule collection. Although Marni remained a family owned business for over fifteen years… in 2012 it was acquired by Renzo Rosso’s OTB Group whose brands include Diesel- Maison Margiela- Viktor and Rolf- Paula Cademartor-, Staff International and Brave Kid. “It’s the natural completion to the road embarked upon with the acquisition of the brand founded twenty years ago by Consuelo and Gianni Castiglioni,” he stated.
Here on.. Marni adopted its parent company’s sustainability initiatives. The OTB Group Sustainability Report 2022 brings together all projects and initiatives that contribute to the further responsible development of the company preserving the environmental and social ecosystems in the coming years. The Group Sustainability Strategy “Be Responsible. Be Brave” reflects OTB’s commitment to the environment, product sustainability and people. The Report records the Group’s carbon footprint for 2020-22 and its continuous monitoring to achieve the Net Zero target in internal operations by 2030.
In October 2016 Consuelo Castiglioni stepped down from Marni. That year the company appointed Francesco Risso– alumnus of FIT New York and Central St. Martins London and former designer at Prada- as Creative Director. Per Harvey Nichols he said, “I’m driven by a concept I call ‘retrovolution’ — taking everything you have learned in the past.. all the traditions.. and moving beyond by challenging it. Routes have no borders and every collection is an exercise in bringing thoughts and ideas to life through form. Marni has always been recognised for its bold patterns and upbeat silhouettes but ultimately we want to create a synthesis of colour and shape.”
In 2018 Stefano Biondo was appointed CEO. However, there was a change of guard at Marni. Stephano Biondo exited the company and its parent group OTB and was succeeded by Barbara Calo who at that time held the title of General Manager. Calò joined Marni in 2016 as Global Omni-Channel Director and in her new position reported to OTB CEO Ubaldo Minelli. She was later promoted to CEO. Structural changes notwithstanding… Marni continues to be bold experimental and fashion forward.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
