Rosita Missoni popularised her brand's zigzag motif

Italian designer Rosita Missoni, co-founder of the eponymous fashion house known for its bright and patterned styles, died on Jan 1 at the age of 93, a company official said on Jan 2.

She had launched the business in 1953 with her husband Ottavio Missoni, developing a brand which became popular for its colourful knitwear featuring geometric patterns and stripes, including the signature zigzag motif known as fiammato.

Born into a family of textile artisans close to the northern Italian town of Varese, Rosita studied modern languages.

On a trip to London in 1948 to improve her English, she met Ottavio, who was competing with the Italian 400m hurdles team at the Olympics in the city.

The Missoni brand gained international recognition and awards for its distinctive patterns and avant-garde use of textiles and an approach to fashion often compared to modern art.