Fashion designer Davide Renne died nine days after becoming creative director of Moschino.
Moschino’s parent company, Aeffe, said 46-year-old Davide died in Milan on Friday of “a sudden illness.”
Davide, born in Tuscany, was head of womenswear at Gucci, where he worked for twenty years.
He was due to unveil his first Moschino collection during Milan Fashion Week in February.
Nina Ricci creative director Harris Reed described Renne as “a real, true angel,” while model and singer Karen Elson wrote: “My heart is breaking. Dear Davide, rest in peace.’
Tragic: fashion designer Davide Renne has died nine days after becoming creative director of Moschino
Devastating: Moschino’s parent company Aeffe said Renne, 46, died of ‘a sudden illness’ in Milan on Friday
Grieving: Nina Ricci creative director Harris Reed described Renne as “a real, true angel,” while model and singer Karen Elson wrote: “My heart is breaking. Dear Davide, rest in peace
Davide’s cause of death is still unknown, but a statement that sheds light on the artist’s death speaks of ‘a sudden illness’.
The chairman of Moschino’s parent company, Aeffe SpA, Massimo Ferretti, said: ‘There are no words to describe the pain we are experiencing at this dramatic time.
‘Davide only joined us a few days ago, when a sudden illness took him from us too soon. We still can’t believe what happened.
‘With Davide we worked on an ambitious project in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and optimism for the future.
‘Even though he was only with us for a very short time, Davide could immediately feel loved and respected.
“Today we have the responsibility to see through what his imagination and creativity only envisioned. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.”
The designer joined from Gucci, where he had worked for twenty years, and rose to the position of chief womenswear designer.
He took over from Jeremy Scott, who resigned in March after ten years at Moschino, known for its wacky and tongue-in-cheek collections.
Heartbreaking: Tuscany-born Renne was head of women’s clothing at Gucci, where he worked for twenty years
Davide studied at both the University of Florence and the Polimoda Fashion School.
He started his career with Italian fashion designer and mentor Alessandro Dell’Acqua before joining Gucci in 2004.
On his new appointment, Davide said: ‘Franco Moschino had a nickname for his design studio: la sala giochi, the playroom.
‘This resonates deeply with me: what fashion – especially Italian fashion, and especially the house of Moschino – can achieve with its enormous power, must be achieved with a sense of play, of joy. A feeling of discovery and experimentation.’
Many influential fashion figures have taken to social media to pay their respects, with many posting comments on his Instagram posts.
Nina Ricci’s creative director Harris Reed described him as “a real true angel.”
Renne’s mentor, Dell’Acqua, posted on Instagram: ‘Goodbye Davide!! You will always be in my heart.’
Sad: he was supposed to unveil his first Moschino collection during Milan Fashion Week in February