Quiet luxury has its appeal, but Moschino has never been part of that conversation. The Italian fashion
house made a name for being over-the-top and enfant terrible under the helm of Franco Moschino, who
lived by the maxim of no freedom without chaos. For the brand’s 40th anniversary, Moschino enlisted four renowned stylists: Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeel, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Lucia Liu, and Katie Grand to sift through the archive and re-interpret the classics from Moschino’s first decade. The results are shown in the brand’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection—the first show after Jeremy Scott’s departure.
The collection began with the first act by Cerf de Dudzeele, who had been working alongside Scott for a
decade. A collection of perfectly tailored suit sets, turtleneck knitwear, and quarter-zipped jackets, “The Cerf Style” laid out timeless silhouettes that one would expect from the bona fide fashion icon. Yet, they are nothing short of fun. Heavily accessorised, the detail-oriented French stylist added a twist to the basics with bejewelled high hats and jewellery pieces.
Colour-wise, Karefa-Johnson’s second act has the closest resemblance to Moschino’s extravagance which is familiar to many. A visible reference was Moschino’s artwork “Heart of Wool”, featuring a heart pierced by two knitting needles, framed with colourful crocheted patchworks that are later translated into Karefa-Johnson’s designs. The bold stylist did not shy away from being a maximalist, mixing textures and patterns.
The third act by Liu tapped into the underlying femininity found in Moschino’s designs. With pink ruffles, laces, pearls, Rococo bows, and cut-out hearts, Liu added layers of romance to the collection. Slogan T-shirts were found in her mini collection, echoing Moschino’s rebellious presence in the fashion revolution.
If Moschino is the reactive voice of his time, Grand is the beating heart of our generation. A stylist, journalist, and creative director, Grand found herself drawn to Moschino’s loud fashion—particularly the slogans. The ten looks include bodysuits with exclamation and question marks, outlines of human bodies, and some with lettering that read “LOUD LUXURY”. Modelled by dancers, the fourth act was choreographed by McGregor, the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet.
Leave it to Moschino to bring forward the campiness while pushing the boundaries. In Franco Moschino’s words, “Impositions are banned”.