When Sozzani passed away in 2016 due to a rare form of cancer, her death marked a significant and irreplaceable loss for the fashion industry. Based in Milan, the journalist was editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia from 1988 until her last days.
A respected and admired personality in fashion and beyond, Sozzani was a strong believer in the power of images. By giving freedom and a platform to photographers such as Steven Meisel, Bruce Weber and Peter Lindbergh, she turned her Vogue Italia into one of the most provocative and daring publications in fashion history. Her collaboration with Meisel is still remembered as one of the most remarkable partnerships between a photographer and an editor in the history of fashion publishing. She was also a champion of young talent from around the world including the Middle East, a region she visited frequently and was very fond of.
Just before her passing, Sozzani’s son, director and photographer Francesco Carrozzini, directed Franca: Chaos and Creation (2016). The documentary shed light on Sozzani’s creative process as well as her and Carrozzini’s relationship.
In 2018, he established the Franca Sozzani Fund for Preventive Genomics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston in the US, to support scientific research in the field of preventive genomics. The fund focuses on addressing racial and ethnic disparities in genomic medicine with the aim of improving health and longevity for everyone, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic background.
“Preventive genomics is really a cultural shift and about changing people’s perceptions on what preventive care is,” said Carrozzini in an interview before the event. “My mum unfortunately belonged to a generation that believed that you only go to the doctor when you’re sick, but it should be the opposite. You need to get as much data as possible on your genetic make-up so you can prevent possible future diseases.”
