Popular Fashion Designer Accused of Disturbing Crimes

Renowned fashion designer Riccardo Tisci, best known for his work at Givenchy and Burberry, is now at the center of a disturbing legal battle. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court accuses the Italian-born designer of drugging and sexually assaulting a man after a night out in East Harlem in June 2024.

The plaintiff, Patrick Cooper, says he met Tisci at a bar that evening. According to the 11-page court filing, Cooper alleges Tisci slipped a substance into his drink. He says he quickly lost consciousness—and woke up the next morning completely naked next to an unclothed Tisci inside the designer’s SoHo residence.

“Upon information and belief, [Tisci] intended to make [Cooper] so disoriented as to no longer know where he was, what he was doing, or what other people, particularly Defendant, was doing to him,” the lawsuit states.

Cooper spoke with The Independent, saying, “I remember sipping the drink, and I don’t remember anything else. To this day, I still don’t remember anything. Nothing.” He says he immediately went to the hospital for a rape kit exam after leaving Tisci’s home and reported the alleged assault to the NYPD.

Tisci has issued a firm denial through a spokesperson, telling WWD, “These allegations are categorically untrue. Riccardo looks forward to clearing his name of these false and malicious allegations. He will obtain vindication through due process.”

Cooper is seeking unspecified damages above the court’s jurisdictional limits, including both compensatory and punitive damages, legal fees, and any other relief the court deems appropriate.

While the NYPD has not confirmed an active investigation tied directly to Tisci, the department released a general statement emphasizing its approach to cases of this nature: “The NYPD takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so we can perform a comprehensive investigation, and offer support and services to survivors.”