From the Marni runway to mass fashion: Vogue follows Francesco Risso through his day
The former Marni designer is creative director of Uniqlo sister brand GU. The first results are mixed: higher profit, but a bumpy final quarter.
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Video: YouTube · Vogue · youtube.com
US Vogue has published a video portrait of Italian designer Francesco Risso: "A Day in the Life of Fashion Designer Francesco Risso" follows him through a working day. Risso spent around a decade at Prada and was creative director of Marni from 2016 to 2025. Today he is creative director of GU, the lower-priced sister brand of Uniqlo within the Fast Retailing group. His first GU collection, Fall/Winter 2026, began rolling out in late July.
The collection is built around six lifestyle concepts: Minimal, Classic, Playful, Utility, Sport and Cozy. Everyday dressing can be "both practical and expressive, familiar and surprising," Risso said at the launch. Fast Retailing chief Tadashi Yanai called GU a business with "tremendous potential" that is set to become a global brand. The launch coincided with GU's 20th anniversary.
Fast Retailing's annual results, published on 9 October, show how the business is doing: GU's revenue rose 1.8 percent to 336.7 billion yen in the financial year to the end of August, and operating profit rose 11 percent to 31.5 billion yen. In the fourth quarter, however, sales were sluggish, FashionNetwork reported, as GU renewed its autumn/winter range while still trying to meet demand for summer items, which caused coordination problems. The number of items was cut, and the overhaul is not yet complete.