Marco Bizzarri Has Exited the Elisabetta Franchi Company

BIZZARRI EXIT: Marco Bizzarri has exited his role as chairman of Elisabetta Franchi, WWD has learned.

Asked to comment, the Italian fashion company issued a statement confirming the exit and that the namesake designer was succeeding Bizzarri in that role.

Responding to a WWD query, Bizzarri said he had “disinvested from the company back in July and that he resigned from his position earlier this month, communicating his decision to the board and all shareholders.”

Indeed, while attending the Marco Rambaldi and Ferragamo spring 2026 shows and at the Black Fashion Awards in Milan, Bizzarri was nowhere to be seen at the Elisabetta Franchi show last Friday.

Betty Blue, the official name of the Franchi company, stated it has “initiated a process of governance renewal aimed at effectively supporting future development phases and pursuing the company’s best interests.”

Bizzarri, the former president and chief executive officer of Gucci, invested in Elisabetta Franchi last year through a personal holding called Nessifashion. He is also an investor in Forel, which in 2024 entered into an agreement on behalf of the FARO fund to acquire a majority stake in Italian luxury interior design brand Visionnaire. The executive first dipped his toes into the investment fund pool in 2021, when he took a stake and became a partner in Orienta Capital Partners, which specializes in investments in small- and medium-sized companies with strong growth potential. Sources say Bizzarri is eyeing additional investments in fashion.