Moschino has named Loris Messina and Simone Rizzofounders of the Milan-based company Sunnahas its new co-creators. The announcement marks a new chapter for the Effect own house and follows by Adrian Appiolaza leaving after two and a half years in the role.
Messina and Rizzo arrive at Moschino with a reputation built on the brand’s irreverence, community, performance and sharp thinking. Since founding Sunnei in 2014, the duo have developed one of Milan’s most distinctive independent labels, shaping a language that approached fashion as a product, a platform and a cultural experiment. Sunnei began as a direct-to-consumer menswear brand before expanding into womenswear in 2018, and its growth has brought the label into a wider international conversation.
Their date feels closely aligned with Moschino’s own history of satire, provocation and critique of pop culture. Franco Moschino built the house with a radical sense of humor, using fashion to challenge taste, status, consumption and convention. Messina and Rizzo have often worked in a similar register, turning runway shows into participatory acts and brand moments into commentary on the fashion system itself.
Sunnei’s recent shows have reinforced this reputation. In September 2025, the pair staged a virtual auction house show using “fashion dollars”, turning the mechanisms of value, hype and desire into the theme of the show. The gesture followed previous shows that invited the audience to take part, including the Spring Summer 2024 show, where guests scored looks with paddles. Behind the show, designers have built a clear brand identity and loyal following.
Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of Aeffe SpA, described the appointment as a move shaped by the need to balance identity and innovation. He pointed to Messina and Rizzo’s contemporary vision, cultural sensitivity and ability to create distinct languages as central to Moschino’s next phase.
For Messina and Rizzo, the role means entering a home with one of fashion’s clearest voices. The designers said they have long admired Franco Moschino’s ability to challenge convention through creativity while maintaining a recognizable point of view. They described Moschino as a cultural house that uses pop culture as a critical tool, a position that suits their own instincts for irony, participation and disruption.
The appointment also comes at a defining moment for Moschino and Aef. The group has entered a period of restructuring, with Riccardo Bagolin recently appointed general manager and Stefano Falliti working as Chief Restructuring Officer. In this context, Messina and Rizzo bring both creative energy and business experience. Prior to Sunnei, Messina worked in visual merchandising at Gucci, while Rizzo worked as a digital manager and buyer.
Their first Moschino collection will debut in September 2026 during Milan Fashion Week. For a house built on wit, contradictions and cultural critique, the selection suggests a return to fashion that speaks loudly, thinks quickly and knows exactly how to turn the system into material.
