Francesco Risso is GU’s creative director, parent company Fast Retailing announced today. His debut collection for GU is scheduled for Fall/Winter 2026.
Established in 2006, GU is the second-largest brand in Japanese retail holding company Fast Retailing’s arsenal — the largest being Uniqlo. Gu currently operates approximately 480 stores in Asia, with e-commerce sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. It arrived in the United States in 2024, with the opening of its first flagship store outside Asia in SoHo, New York.
Risso, who helmed the Uniqlo and Marni collection in 2022, was, until recently, the creative director of Marni. He worked for the Italian house since 2016, and there, he shaped a bold vision that was critically well-received. Before that, he’d spent a decade at Prada as a womenswear designer.
“I want more than ever to make real clothes for real people. It is crucial that the future of fashion is charged with meaning and purpose. But for imagination to find its full potential, bold ideas must have an infrastructure to reach people all over the world,” said Risso of this new chapter.
Alongside his appointment at GU, Risso will develop a new collaboration line with Uniqlo, set to launch in 2026.
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