Pal Zileri’s Rocco Iannone Exits
● The creative director had joined the Italian men’s wear brand, controlled by Qatarbased Mayhoola, in 2017.
MILAN — Rocco Iannone is exiting Italian men's wear label Pal Zileri and leaving his role of creative director after two years. A successor has not been named. A graduate of fashion and design school Istituto Marangoni, Iannone previously worked in the men's wear department of the Giorgio Armani Group for 10 years. He also coordinated special projects and brand endorsement activities for the Milan-based group.
The designer infused romantic, artistic and poetic touches to his designs at Pal Zileri, eyeing a sophisticated, almost dandy customer. Market sources say Iannone is on his way to lead a lifestyle project.
Last year, Pal Zileri unveiled its revamped Via Manzoni boutique in Milan, restyled by Iannone and reflecting his eclectic taste, decorated with Philippe Starck and Gio Ponti seats that contrasted with an 18th-century French gilded mirror and vintage wooden tables.
Iannone succeeded Mauro Ravizza Krieger, who left after a three-year tenure.
The company has seen its share of changes at the management level, too. In July last year, Pal Zileri ushered in a new chief executive officer, Marco Sanavia, to succeed Giovanni Mannucci, who in turn had succeeded Paolo Roviera.
Mayhoola, an investment vehicle backed by a private investor group from Qatar, first took a 65 percent stake in Pal Zileri parent company Forall SpA in 2014. Two years later, Mayhoola bought the remaining 35 percent of the firm from Arafa Holding, representing the fund's commitment to expand the brand over the long term. Mayhoola also controls Valentino and Balmain.
When in March Mayhoola sold one of its earliest investments, Anya Hindmarch, to the Marandi family, multiple industry sources indicated the secretive Qatari investment group could be looking to distance itself from the luxury sector despite its success with Valentino and its ambitions to build Balmain. On the other hand, sources also claimed Mayhoola was eyeing an acquisition of Etro to boost its fashion portfolio, although the Etro family contends it is not interested in selling.