Olympics love story that sparked a fashion empire

Ottavio Missoni (R) jumps a hurdle, in this poster commemorating Italy's participation in the 1948 London Olympics, in this picture taken at Missoni's house in Sumirago, northern Italy, April 24, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

War-weary runner

"I started running again with the little that was left in me because naturally, after four years as a prisoner of war I was not in top physical form, but I must have had something left in me and I won the Italian (4 X 400) title and was chosen to go to the Olympics," he said.

In 1948, much of Italy was still recovering from the war's devastation; the Marshall Plan to rebuild the country was in its teething phase and for many, the London Olympics offered a badly needed chance to cheer national athletes.

Few people had televisions in their homes. Most watched the Games in bars and shop windows or on newsreels in cinemas.

"Those were beautiful Olympic Games because everything was natural and spontaneous, not like now, when everything is inflated, blown out of proportion," said Ottavio, who is known by everyone by his diminutive "Tai".

After she first saw him run at Wembley, Rosita and her school mates were invited to lunch with the Italian athletes in Brighton.

"During the lunch I realized he was so funny. He was handsome but not only. He was clever and intelligent and with a great sense of humour, which has been very helpful in all our life," Rosita said.

They married in 1953 and set up a small workshop making track suits in Gallarate, near Rosita's home village, and later moved on to knitwear, presenting their first collection in Milan in 1958 at the dawn of what was to become known as Italy's economic miracle.

"We started making a profit after 10 years of activity and that day I felt like the richest man in the world," Ottavio said.

Their early work was spotted and supported by Anna Piaggi, an influential editor of the Italian fashion magazine Arianna; and another big break came in 1965 when they made a knitwear collection together with designer Emmanuelle Kahn.

"We tried to break the rules ... we lived in very favorable times because it was the beginning of what then came to be called Pret-a-Porter," Rosita said.

"High fashion was declining and there was this new thing, Ready-to-Wear, that was kicking off and we found ourselves in this situation in the early 1960s. With our 10 years of experience, we knew what we wanted to do and tried to find our own way," she said.

Ottavio Missoni competes at the 1948 London Olympics, in this picture taken of a framed photograph at Missoni's house in Sumirago, northern Italy, April 24, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]