“Luxury Is Relative,” a sweatshirt declared midway through Adrian Appiolaza’s latest show for Moschino, which could also be the title of a lecture as fashion grapples with a downturn, creative churn and a topsy-turvy world.
This varied, uneven collection included outfits seemingly made of paper, or trash bags; hats modeled after sofa cushions, and a handbag shaped like a sack of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.
(For the record, the designer prefers chocolate or coconut varieties, and can never eat just one. “I don’t know what’s inside,” he said with a yelp of laughter.)
His show opened with a treatise on sartorial tailoring, but none of it quite finished, the stitches still visible and the thread still attached to a gold needle jabbed into a pin-cushion brooch. Underneath their suits and coats, models wore turtlenecks that resembled Stockmans.
You May Also Like
So for Appiolaza, luxury can be a product of serious craft technique, like tailoring, or an idea that’s original and clever enough to go viral, like his clutch bags shaped like a baguette, or a stalk of celery, not only racking up views on social media but prompting reorders galore.
Contenders for fall include a globe-shaped minaudière, and a clutch of wound spaghetti, with cherry tomatoes as the ball clasp.
Founder Franco Moschino “was really about the chaos of ideas put together in a way that feels fun and festive,” Appiolaza said during a preview. “So it’s good sometimes to not hold back.”
The Argentinian designer, now one year into his tenure, seems to be finding a way to honor the house’s ironic sense of humor without cheap jokes, while also aligning them with subjects he cares about, including the climate crisis, and respect for all genders.
As at Prada, LBDs were a key silhouette at Moschino, some with smatterings of festive polka dots; others embroidered with dark clouds and jet-bead raindrops. A sweater version had strategically placed, sagging holes to approximate a smiley face, albeit a sinister one.
The venue was carpeted in black, and black confetti rained down at the end. “I didn’t want to do anything extravagant or anything,” he said.
Later, Appiolaza would bound out for his runway bow with a big smile, and a black T-shirt proclaiming, “Don’t Be Silent.”
