Famed fashion designer Riccardo Tisci — known for dressing the likes of Beyoncé, Madonna, and creating that unforgettable floral Met Gala look for Kim Kardashian — is now at the center of a very serious and disturbing allegation.
According to a civil lawsuit filed in New York this week, a 35-year-old man named Patrick Cooper claims that Tisci, 50, drugged and sexually assaulted him after a night out in East Harlem. The alleged incident took place on June 29, 2024, after the two were introduced through mutual friends and hit up a downtown club before ending the night at 2 Sisters 4 Brothers, a local soul food joint.
Cooper says he had only two glasses of wine and was feeling “totally fine” — until he finished his drink at the restaurant. That’s when, he claims, things went sideways. In the lawsuit, Cooper alleges he suddenly became “disoriented, confused, and unaware of his surroundings,” and says he later woke up naked in Tisci’s multimillion-dollar SoHo townhouse, with Tisci allegedly also undressed and lying next to him.
“I just went out to have a good night,” Cooper told IconicHipster.com. “My intentions were never to end up in Riccardo Tisci’s bed. When I woke up, he was kissing me.”
He says he immediately went to the hospital for a rape kit and later filed a police report.
The lawsuit accuses Tisci of assault, battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and violations of New York State’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act. Cooper is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.
In the legal documents, Cooper claims that whatever substance he was allegedly given made him so impaired that he had no ability to consent or defend himself, stating that Tisci “prevented \[him] from leaving and sexually assaulted him.”
When contacted for comment, Tisci reportedly hung up after learning what the call was about. His agent, Anne Nelson of United Talent Agency, told IconicHipster.com: “I regret to inform you that I cannot comment on any matters related to the pending litigation.”
The NYPD did not confirm or deny any details related to the case but emphasized that it takes allegations of sexual assault and rape “extremely seriously” and encourages victims to come forward.
Tisci, who rose to fashion stardom as the creative director of Givenchy and later Burberry, has long been considered a designer to the stars, with a résumé that includes custom tour looks for Rihanna, Kanye West, and even designing Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s collaborative On the Run tour gear.
Now, however, he’s facing headlines of a very different — and far more troubling — kind.
