Fast Retailing appoints Francesco Risso as creative director of GU

Fast Retailing Group has announced the appointment of Francesco Risso as creative director of GU. In his new role, Risso will define GU’s creative direction as it enters its next phase of growth, the Japanese apparel conglomerate stated in the press release. His debut collection for the brand is scheduled for autumn/winter 2026.

Alongside his appointment at GU, Risso will also develop a new collaboration line with sister brand Uniqlo, set to launch in 2026. He previously collaborated with the Japanese retailer on the Uniqlo and Marni collection in 2022.

Further details on both initiatives will be announced at a later date, Fast Retailing Group said.

Francesco Risso served as creative director of Marni from 2016 to 2025, where he shaped the brand’s distinctive creative direction. Prior to that, the Italian designer spent a decade at Prada. Risso studied fashion in Florence, New York and London, and alongside his design career he is active as a guest lecturer at leading art and design institutions worldwide.

GU made its international flagship debut in the US in September 2024, opening a store in New York’s SoHo alongside the launch of its first nationwide online platform. Fast Retailing says the move followed strong customer response to a pop-up concept that operated in the city from October 2022, paving the way for a broader US rollout. In FY2025, the company aims to further accelerate GU’s global expansion and strengthen its position as an international brand.