Moschino Madness
Image Courtesy: Strike Tallahassee
If you don’t know what Moschino is and why they stood out at this year’s Milan Fashion Week, here’s the rundown. Moschino is an Italian luxury fashion company that lands in the same world of brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada. Founded in 1983 by a man named Franco Moschino, the Moschino brand caught the public’s eye with their vibrant colors and unconventional designs. Today, the creative director is an American fashion designer named Jeremy Scott. He carries on the brand’s spunky presence in the world of high fashion and has also successfully adopted the reputation of “fashion’s last rebel” over the years.
Scott’s avant-garde approach to fashion is perfectly displayed in the Moschino show of 2019’s Milan Fashion Week. With over 50 different looks, Scott based the entire show around his childhood love of classic American TV game shows like Wheel of Fortune and The Price is Right. In a pre-show interview with Vogue, Scott revealed that he “loves game shows because they are fun and effervescent and silly”. He went on to explain, “I love the idea of these glamorous women, these archetypes from game shows, with their hair all done up, in these extreme evening gowns… and then they have some dish soap.” Through these eccentric ideas, Scott perpetuates the original purpose of the company drawn out by creator, Franco Moschino- freedom, especially that from conformity.
Going in line with the old school theme, these models had voluminous, almost comical wigs that rose high above their heads. Nearly every woman had a neck draped with outrageously sized jewels that was wonderfully paired with matching shoes or earrings. Yet, one outfit in particular was hard to ignore. This specific model was dressed in a shimmering green sequin dress, tightened with a Moschino belt around her waist, and wore a tall blonde wig on her head. However, what made her stand out amongst the others, was the enormous replica of an aluminum TV dinner that she wore as a cape. Supported by shoulder straps resembling a backpack, this woman strutted confidently down the entire runway with buttered mashed potatoes, vegetable mix, meatloaf, and a dessert cake on her back. Certainty not your everyday designer fashion show.
Image Courtesy: Los Angeles Times
Another interesting aspect of this show was Jeremy Scott’s subtle reference to his past work. In 2001, Scott released a similar line of clothes that also possessed a game show theme. Although the outfits and show production was far less elaborate than 2019’s, Scott combined large dollar bills and gold money signs with household items like blenders and stationary bikes. In the photographs below, you can see the obvious difference and evolution of fashion trends over the past 18 years. However, you are also able to see the modernized use of former designs.
Strike Out,
Writer: Mia Permuy
Editor: Savannah Tindall
Graphic Designer: Sophie Li
Tallahassee