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Ottavio Missoni

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Designer

The Resume

    (February 11, 1921-May 9, 2013)
    Born in Dubrovnik, Croatia
    With his wife Rosita founded the Missoni fashion house (1953)
    Opened first US boutique (1970)
    Known for knitware with brightly colored zigzag patterns

Why he might be annoying:

    He was the son of a countess.
    He spent most of World War II as a prisoner of war after being captured by the British in the Battle of El Alamein.
    He said, 'I'm lazy, so work for me has always been an effort.'
    Missoni sweaters became a preppy and yuppie staple.

Why he might not be annoying:

    At the 1948 Olympics, he competed in the 400-meter hurdles (finishing sixth) and designed the Italian team's woolen tracksuits.
    The fashion director of Sak's Fifth Avenue said, 'Before the Missonis, knits were poky and dowdy. What they have done is transform the industry.'
    In the early 70s the fashion critic for the New York Times said of Missoni designs, 'It is exactly what Chanel would do, if she were still alive, young and working in Italy.'
    He and Rosita were married for sixty years.
    His oldest son Vittorio went missing and was presumed dead after the plane he was in disappeared off the coast of Venezuela (January 4, 2013).
    His advice for getting through tedious cocktail party chit-chat: 'You can handle any conversation with just three words: 'really,' 'sometimes' and 'maybe.''

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 71 Votes: 63.38% Annoying