IN AND OUT: FASHION'S SHAKE-UP

In a further sign of the times, Consuelo Castiglioni, the creative mind of Marni, is exiting the company she co-founded in 1994 with her husband Gianni Castiglioni, president. In fact the whole family will part ways with the brand, including the couple’s two children, Carolina, director of special projects and Giovanni, who worked in the operations department. Marni is owned by OTB, the fashion powerhouse managed by Renzo Rosso, which acquired full control of the niche label in 2015. Francesco Risso, formerly at Prada, is Marni’s new creative director. His first effort will bow for fall 2017. Castiglioni said she stepped down for personal reasons as the shy and reserved designer wants to dedicate more time to her private life after over two decades in fashion’s adrenalin-charged fast lane. Over the course of the years, Castiglioni has forged a precise and distinctive image for the niche brand based on the use of quirky fabrics and materials, clashing color combinations, artsy flourishes and eccentricity. Risso will inject a dose of Italian spirit into Marni, inking a new chapter for the brand. In other related news, Balenciaga has a new chief executive officer, Cédric Charbit, currently executive vice president of product and marketing at YSL. He starts at the end of November, reporting to François-Henri Pinault, chairman and ceo of Kering. Charbrit succeeds Isabelle Guichot, who will be responsible for other Kering brands. Balenciaga is designed by Vetements founder Demna Gvasalia, who joined a year ago, bringing a whiff of underground edge to the storied couture house.