Moschino’s Los Angeles Resort Show Was A F*ckin’ Trip
I have a confession, if you had asked me two years ago whether or not I would be caught dead wearing a t-shirt that had “For Fashion Victims Only” scripted in bold letters, I would have rolled my eyes and assumed you were fucking with me. It wasn’t until I dug a little deeper into the history of the house of Moschino that I began to relate, and even advocate the message behind the ironic and sometimes offensive pieces of wearable propaganda.
Franco Moschino began to create a shift in an otherwise over-extravagant conformist fashion system during the late 1980s and early 90s with his unique ability to express artistry and appropriate universal symbols by way of fashion design. Franco criticized the excessive consumption of luxury goods based on the idea that people were following blindly what was advertised in fashion magazines as being “fashionable”(how “Punk Rock” of him).
Moschino claimed “Fashion does not exist, and if it did, its true significance would embody the freedom to wear anything.” In his opinion, being fashionable didn’t necessarily correlate with wearing the most “in” pieces, which he made clear with slogans like: “Good Taste Doesn’t Exist,” “Stop the Fashion System,” “Fashion Kills,” and “Ready to Where?”. His designs were sarcastic and witty, and his ability to make a mockery of himself and his industry with yet a strong sense of social justice was something only a true visionary could accomplish, and fashion’s evolution since then has proved that he was ahead of his time with his “against the grain mentality.”
In creating collections for the fashion rebel in us all, he also managed to make a name for himself as a political activist, in addition to providing support for numerous charities. Since his passing in 1994, the house of Moschino has maintained its over the top, anti-fashion fashion, and in 2014 named designer Jeremy Scott as the Creative Director that will carry Moschino into its future of Barbie Dolls and Big Macs, and continue his legacy of saying “fuck you” to fashion.
Although Franco Moschino created an unequivocal brand through humorous political activism, visual puns and strong bodies, Scott is building on that foundation and at the same time restoring its relevance. Jeremy Scott is pop culture’s Franco Moschino. Creating a “Moschino for Millennials.” Scott has designed pieces for Pop Music’s mega divas such as Britney Spears (the flight attendant dress in the video for Toxic), Katy Perry (do ice cream cones mean anything to you?), Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, as well as Nikki Minaj and Demi Lovato, whom he dressed for the Met Gala this year.
Scott’s latest collection, for Fall 2016, was titled “Bonfires of the Vanities,” dramatic much? The collection was inspired by a 15th century Renaissance shit-show, during which a mob of Dominican monks terrorized the city of Florence by burning “superficial” objects, art-books, clothing, etc. As I’m sure you can imagine, Scott let his imagination run wild with this collection, some of the pieces even looked as if they had actually been thrown into the flames. Art is expression, and fashion is art, and I’m sure Franco would have applauded the trademark Moschino theatrics.
Last night, for the very first time, MADE Fashion Week hosted MADE L.A. at the L.A. Live Event Deck… and I was there, witnessing anti-fashion in all its fashion glory. I’ve always felt that Los Angeles has the potential to be taken more seriously as a fashion capital and not just be notorious for cut-off shorts and botched peroxide jobs. Since Hedi Slimane debuted his final collection, Fall 2016, for Saint Laurent on a runway at the Hollywood Palladium, it was only a matter of time before another Los Angeles local decided to break away from the norm and host their next show here… and of course, it had to be Jeremy Scott.
The collection was “Flower Power.” A Psychedelic 60’s Redux for a new generation, the Boomers meet the Millennials. It was something like falling down Alice’s rabbit hole into a real life version of an Austin Powers movie (with better teeth), a Bohemian twist… and/or an acid trip. Think Late 60’s Boho: Glamorous Woodstock. Of course the event was packed with anyone from L.A. who thinks they’re anyone, mixed in with some tacky Instagram models and their “agents.” But with all of the smoke and mirrors, the house was still filled with some of fashion’s founding babes, i.e. Cindy Crawford who was there, along with her mini me Kaia Gerber, to watch her son Presley Gerber make his runway debut.
As I was walking towards the event tent, I spotted Alessandra Ambrosio on her way backstage… and then, Jeremy’s lineup of supermodel bombshells: Miranda Kerr, Taylor Hill, Stella Maxwell, Chanel Iman, Hailey Clauson… I could go on forever. This collection had me daydreaming about packing up and taking off to Bali… in a time machine. Psychedelic flower patterns with contrasting animal print, striped bell bottoms, bejeweled sunglasses, patent leather, flower appliques, crochet crop tops, and babes in boho… it was a fuckin’ trip.
Moschino LA @caitlynjenner @katyperry #moschino @made #caitlynjenner #katyperry #madela
A photo posted by Moschino (@moschino) on
A photo posted by Moschino (@moschino) on
