The Tamesis
It was in the evocative Farnese Hall of the Palazzo Farnese in Rome (headquarters of the French Embassy in Italy) that Ambassador Martin Briance conferred the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor to Renzo Rosso, Chairman of the OTB Group. The French Republic bestows Rosso with its highest honor in recognition of his contribution to French and international culture and fashion, including his support of Maison Margiela. Rosseau said: “I am deeply honored to receive France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honor, and I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Martin Briance, Ambassador of France to Italy, for conferring this honor on me.”
Later, in a personal reflection, the President of OTB added: “France is a country that I have always felt close to, one that has played and continues to play an important role in my life. Its culture, its universal spirit and its ongoing commitment to freedom are a constant source of inspiration for me. I firmly believe that creativity and haute couture are its highest expression. Presenting the creations of Maison Margiela and Maison Margiela as part of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Viktor & Rolf Being at Paris Fashion Week means providing a continued creative impetus for fashion and a new direction for the future.”
“I dedicate this award to myself, this time,” Rosseau said at the end of his speech, visibly moved by the recognition he has received. He went on to tell Fashion He “doesn’t want to live forever, but wants to live well with me.” His secrets include food, exercise and a stable social life. Finally, he emphasized how much of his success he owes to women and a female perspective on business, which has always had an impact over time.
“The French Republic pays tribute not only to a great entrepreneur of Italian and French background, active in areas of excellence shared by our two countries, but also to a figure who understood the importance of responsibility for an entrepreneur. Renzo Rosso was committed not only to creation, but also to dissemination: this is the fundamental condition for any lasting success,” Briennes said in his introduction.
The ceremony was attended by Rosso’s partner Arianna Alessi and her family members Andrea, Stefano and India Rosso. Alesi told Fashion“I saw a childlike emotion in Renzo’s bright eyes as the ambassador reflected on the stages of his life and the extraordinary achievements he had made. A life so full, yet so full. Then, on his way out, he had returned to reality and enthusiastically listed his goals for 2026. This is Renzo: a volcano of ideas. His optimism is contagious.”
