On April 30, 2026 The Independent published the first public account of an accusation involving designer Riccardo Tisci. The claim centers on an incident in June 2026 in New York in which the plaintiff, Patrick Cooper, says he was given a drink, later lost consciousness and awoke disoriented at the designer’s downtown residence. According to the filing, Cooper met Tisci through a mutual friend named Michael Alexander, and the Italian singer Alessandro Mahmoud — known professionally as Mahmood — was present that night. The complaint raises the allegation that the beverage was spiked and that Cooper experienced sexual contact while incapacitated.
Cooper’s account, relayed to the press after the initial report, describes tasting a drink and then regaining consciousness elsewhere with no memory of how he arrived. When Cooper phoned Tisci the following day, he says the designer initially denied recognition but later acknowledged meeting him while insisting that nothing improper had occurred. Cooper then retained legal counsel and amended the complaint to allege that the drink had been tampered with and that it may have been handed to him by Mahmood. Tisci has publicly denied the accusations and the suit remains active.
New legal move: Mahmood asked to give evidence
A recent court filing, obtained by reporter Louis Pisano and shared on X, shows that Tisci’s legal team has submitted a memorandum invoking the Hague Convention to arrange an oral examination of Mahmood in Italy. The memorandum requests permission to compel testimony abroad after the singer declined a prior invitation to appear voluntarily for a deposition. Tisci’s lawyers argue that Mahmood could be a first-hand witness about whether the plaintiff’s drink was altered and about Cooper’s behavior and condition before his reported blackout — material points the defense says are relevant to rebutting the complaint.
What the memorandum seeks
The court papers ask a judge to authorize an overseas oral examination under procedures tied to the Hague Convention, effectively requesting that Mahmood be questioned in Italy rather than by subpoena in the United States. Previously, Tisci’s team had invited Mahmood to testify voluntarily, but the singer declined. In its description of likely testimony, the defense emphasizes that Mahmood could shed light on whether the drink was served by him, whether a substance was observed, and on Cooper’s demeanor prior to his loss of memory. Such testimony, the filing contends, is potentially exculpatory for Tisci.
Public posture and industry silence
Since the allegation surfaced, Tisci has reduced his public footprint: his Instagram is largely cleared except for a single portrait, and he has maintained a low profile. It is uncertain whether he continues to reside in the United States. The lawsuit has also received relatively little attention from mainstream fashion and lifestyle outlets, a silence observers attribute to Tisci’s long-standing relationships within the industry and his high profile as a former creative director at Givenchy and Burberry, as well as a designer of Met Gala looks for celebrities such as Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian. That network dynamic helps explain why coverage and commentary have been measured.
How this fits into a broader pattern
The Tisci case arrives amid a string of high-profile accusations across fashion. Names previously accused include Alexander Wang and photographers Mario Testino, Bruce Weber and Patrick Demarchelier (who died in 2026). Responses and outcomes have varied: Weber reportedly reached settlements outside of court, Wang initially denied allegations, later met some accusers with attorney Lisa Bloom and issued a statement of regret in March 2026, and then gradually returned to public shows — staging a comeback in April 2026 in Los Angeles’s Chinatown, presenting in New York in February 2026, and marking a full return to New York Fashion Week in 2026 while celebrating the 20th anniversary of his brand. In 2026 he attended the Met Gala and used the moment to promote a new energy drink, illustrating how careers can rebound despite serious allegations.
What to watch next
The lawsuit brought by Patrick Cooper continues to move through pretrial processes, and the request to examine Mahmood in Italy could prove pivotal. If the court allows the Hague-based oral examination, Mahmood’s answers may clarify disputed facts about the drink and the hours Cooper cannot recall. Beyond the immediate legal stakes, the case raises enduring questions about accountability in fashion: how institutions and audiences reckoned with talent accused of misconduct, and whether creative achievement insulates figures from consequences. The Tisci matter may not resolve those tensions, but it will be watched closely for both its legal outcome and its cultural implications.
