Italian fashion brand Moschino has officially announced the hiring of Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, the creative team from the Milan-based label Sunnei, as its new co-creative directors. This change takes effect immediately, showing a big shift for the brand. Moschino is well-known for its use of bold irony, modern art, and subversive humor.
The news comes just days after the exit of Adrian Appiolaza, who had challenged the role in 2024 and stepped down after serving for two and a half years. His departure marks another creative change for Moschino, a brand that has always been good at reinventing itself while keeping its unique visual style rooted in satire and cultural critique.
Massimo Ferretti, the executive chairman of Aeffe S.p.A., talked about the strategic reasons behind choosing Messina and Rizzo. He praised their “contemporary creative vision, deep cultural awareness, and ability to create relevant and unique creative languages,” and expressed confidence that the duo will strengthen Moschino’s identity and shape its future. The leadership decision shows a clear effort to balance tradition with experimentation, especially as many luxury houses are adjusting their creative paths.
Messina and Rizzo are no strangers to creating disruption. At Sunnei, which started in 2014, they gained a reputation for turning runway shows into performance-based cultural events. Their latest show in September 2025 was a complete break from tradition, staged as a mock auction where clothes were “bought” using fake fashion money, an ironic comment on value systems in luxury. Soon after that show, the pair left Sunnei, ending a major chapter in Milan’s contemporary fashion scene.
Their journey at Sunnei shows both growth and settling into a new phase. Originally started as a direct-to-consumer menswear brand, Sunnei introduced womenswear in 2018 and expanded its presence worldwide. In 2020, the founders sold a big share to Vanguards Group for about €6 million, which helped the brand grow but also led to more careful decisions, as Rizzo has mentioned in interviews.
For Moschino, the appointment shows the brand is embracing designers who are already familiar with humor, performance, and cultural play, elements that have always been part of Moschino’s identity since its start by Franco Moschino.
Experts will be watching closely to see how Messina and Rizzo translate their concept-driven, often humorous approach into a heritage luxury brand.
Their first collection for Moschino is set to be shown at Milan Fashion Week this September, making it one of the most anticipated creative launches of the season.
