It was in the evocative Sala dei Fasti Farnesiani of Palazzo Farnese in Rome—the headquarters of the French Embassy in Italy—that Ambassador Martin Briens awarded OTB Group Chairman Renzo Rosso the title of Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honor. The highest honor of the French Republic was bestowed on Rosso for his contributions to culture and fashion, in France and internationally, including through the support of Maison Margiela. “It is a great honor to receive the Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest honor, and I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the Ambassador of France to Italy, Martin Briens, for bestowing this prestigious honor on me,” Rosso said.
These words were followed by a personal reflection from OTB’s president, adding, “France is a country that I have always felt deeply close to, that has played, and continues to play, a fundamental role in my life. Its culture, its universal spirit and its constant commitment to freedom represent a source of continuous inspiration for me. I strongly believe in creativity and couture as its highest expression. Being part of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and showing the creations of Maison Margiela and Viktor & Rolf during the Paris Fashion Weeks means offering fashion a continuous creative impulse, an ever new direction for the future.”
“I dedicate this award to myself, for once,” Rosso said at the end of his speech, visibly moved by the recognition he received. He went on to tell Vogue that he “does not want to live forever, but to live well as long as I live.” His secrets include food, sports, and a solid social life. Finally, he emphasized how much of his success is due to women and that feminine outlook on business that, over time, has always made a difference.
Briens, in his introduction, said, “the French Republic pays tribute not only to a great entrepreneur with an Italian-French background, active in a sector of excellence shared by our two countries, but also celebrates a personality, a man who was able to grasp how important a sense of responsibility is for an entrepreneur. Renzo Rosso was dedicated not only to create, but also to transmit: an essential condition of any lasting success.”
Present at the ceremony were Rosso’s partner Arianna Alessi with their family Andrea, Stefano, and India Rosso. Alessi told Vogue, “I saw the emotion of a child in Renzo’s bright eyes as the Ambassador went over the stages of his life and the extraordinary things he has accomplished. One life, and yet so full. Then, on his way out, he was already back to reality, enthusiastically listing his goals for 2026. This is Renzo: a volcano of ideas. His optimism is contagious.”
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