Former Marni Lead Francesco Risso Appointed Creative Director of GU
The designer is set to reshape the fast fashion brand’s identity starting with the Fall/Winter 2026 collection.
Summary
- Fast Retailing appoints former Marni lead Francesco Risso as the new creative director of GU
- Risso will debut his first GU collection for Fall/Winter 2026
- A new Risso x UNIQLO collaboration line is also set for 2026
Fast Retailing, the parent company of UNIQLO, has appointed former Marni creative director Francesco Risso as the new creative director of GU. Risso is set to make his official debut with the brand’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection.
The Italian-born designer brings a wealth of experience to the role, having studied in Florence, New York, and London before spending a decade at Prada. He later served as the creative director of Marni from 2016 to 2025, during which he famously collaborated with UNIQLO for a 2022 collection. According to Fast Retailing, this appointment is designed to let Risso shape GU’s creative identity as the brand enters a new phase of global growth.
This move signals Fast Retailing’s commitment to bridging the gap between high-fashion artistry and mass-market affordability. By integrating designer-level cutting and vision into GU, the company continues the successful strategy seen at UNIQLO through its ongoing partnerships with Clare Waight Keller, Christophe Lemaire, and JW Anderson.
In an exciting double announcement, Fast Retailing also confirmed that a new Francesco Risso x UNIQLO collaboration line is currently in development, which is scheduled to launch alongside his GU debut in 2026.
