A legal complaint was filed in a New York Supreme court Tuesday alleging that Riccardo Tisci drugged and sexually assaulted a man last year.
In the filing, Patrick Cooper claimed that the former creative director of Givenchy approached him in an East Harlem bar, struck up a conversation, put a drug in his drink when he was not looking and that led to him being unable “to fight, stop or defend himself” from Tisci’s alleged “predatory, sexual and unlawful assault and battery” of him. Cooper alleged that once the drug took effect, the designer took him to Tisci’s New York City apartment, where Tisci prevented him from leaving and assaulted him. Cooper claimed that he woke up naked with Tisci next to him and had lacked the capacity to consent.
A spokesman for Tisci said Thursday, “These allegations are categorically untrue. Riccardo looks forward to clearing his name of these false and malicious accusations. He will obtain vindication through due process.”
Cooper’s attorney Philip Hines of Held & Hines deferred any further comment Thursday until his client could be reached.
In the 11-page complaint that was filed in the Supreme Court in the state of New York and was first reported by The Independent, Cooper is seeking compensatory and punitive damages “in a sum exceeding the jurisdictional limits of all lower courts which would have jurisdiction over this matter, as well as attorney fees, costs and any and all further relief that the court deems just and proper.”
The alleged incident between Tisci and Cooper took place in June 2024 at 2 Sisters 4 Brothers Restaurant & Lounge in East Harlem. A media request to that establishment was unreturned Thursday afternoon.
Tisci, who is represented by the United Talent Agency, is known globally for having been the creative lead at Burberry, and prior to that at Givenchy. After joining Burberry as chief creative officer in March 2018, Tisci amped up its house monogram and introduced celebrity friends like Nicki Minaj to the brand. His five-year run ended in 2023. Tisci, whose edgy creations as creative director pushed Givenchy in a new direction, exited the European house in 2017, ending a 12-year tenure.
More recently, Tisci is said to be wrapping up work as the art photographer for a luxury coffee-table book. He is also expected to announce a collaboration with a lifestyle fashion brand in the coming weeks. The designer also created the white dress that his friend Marina Abramovic, the Serbian performance artist, wore at last summer’s Glastonbury Festival for the “736 Hour” silent piece.