Sunnei’s Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo Are Taking Over Moschino

2 min read

There’s a new man in charge at Moschino. Or rather, two.

Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo, the designers behind the effervescent and cult-favorite Milan brand Sunnei, have been announced as Moschino’s new co-creative directors. The pair replaces Adrian Appiolaza, who was named to the top post in January 2024.

“In the evolution of a fashion house, the ability to balance identity and innovation is essential,” Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of Aeffe S.p.A., said in a statement. “Loris Messina and Simone Rizzo possess the qualities required to embrace this challenge: a contemporary creative vision, a deep cultural sensibility, and the ability to develop relevant and distinctive creative languages. We are confident that their contribution will further strengthen Moschino and support its growth in the years ahead.”

A look from Sunnei’s fall/winter 2025 collection.

Messina and Rizzo launched Sunnei as a menswear brand in 2015 before expanding its business to include women’s wear in 2019. Known for their playful, offbeat approach to contemporary Italian style, the brand’s bold use of color, experimentation, and irreverent spirit transfer to every aspect of the brand, including its off-kilter runway presentations.

Moschino, of course, is a brand rooted in history. Its founder Franco Moschino built the label around satire and a subversive take on luxury, while Jeremy Scott carried that playful, pop culture-infused vision through his decade-long tenure. Appiolaza, who was named creative director after the brief tenure and sudden death of Davide Renne, was only the third designer to lead the brand and offered a more wearable, yet equally imaginative, take throughout his relatively short time at the brand.

A look from Sunnei’s fall/winter 2025 collection.

“We have always admired Franco Moschino’s ability to challenge conventions through creativity while maintaining a clear and consistent voice,” Messina and Rizzo said. “It is a rare quality. Moschino has always embodied this attitude as a cultural house driven by a strong, recognizable, and radical point of view, using pop culture as a critical tool rather than merely an aesthetic language. Taking on the creative direction of the house means embracing this legacy and projecting it into the present, reinforcing its relevance and its ability to shape the contemporary cultural imagination.”

Messina and Rizzo will unveil their first collection for Moschino at Milan Fashion Week in September.