The Curious Case of Styling over Substance for Moschino’s New Direction
Review of Moschino Fall 2024 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
Designer debuts are becoming more commonplace as market volatility calls for a quick turnaround of the bottom line. Positive change is expected from the moment a new creative director is announced to the last model leaves the runway on their debut collection.
For Moschino – following the departure of the formidable Jeremy Scott – the appointment of Adrian Appiolaza was made under the cloud of the sudden passing away of the previous creative director Davide Renne in November 2023. Renne had yet to make his mark with his first show, which was to follow last September’s interim collection helmed by an ensemble cast of stylists (Gabriela Karefa-Johnson, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, and Lucia Liu) who presented a triple guest collection, which brought together all the defining elements of the Moschino brand from over the decades. Lifting that cloud and marking a new start for the brand, there was palpable excitement for Appiolaza’s debut, having paid his dues at Loewe and Chloé (as women’s RTW design director for both fashion houses).
For fall 2024, a lot of what made today’s collection was in its styling, layering skirts over trousers, or doubling up on knitwear, and questions may be asked as to how the collection stacks up as a whole when each piece is merchandised individually on the shop floor? What will set them apart as distinctively Moschino? Other than the brand identifier of the peace sign and polka dots – which don’t inherently ‘belong’ to any one brand, especially when a revival of monochrome dots as a trend will see that marker lost in the mix – each look when broken down to single items needed a stronger tie-in to the brand. It can’t be helpful that Appiolaza’s predecessor created such a rambunctious design language for the brand, which could be spotted from a mile away. From collaborations with fast-food chain McDonalds, to a collection made up of pool floats, or the collection influenced by baby motifs and nursery rhymes. The inevitable comparisons are likely to come and go for Appiolaza, but he should face them head-on and gather up all the resources available to hand – from the brands extensive archive to its ateliers – and lead with the boldest of Moschino’s design language for next season.
THE BUZZWORDS
Long-over-long ayering, graphic interest, growing pains
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look # 7
When western meets flamenco, meets preppy, meets business 3.0. It shouldn’t work on paper, but layered together in neutrals with a pop of red, this hybrid look shows a lot of promise for what could be in-store for Adrian Appiolaza’s second season.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Moschino always does what it says on the tin – its sometimes surrealist, and sometimes tongue-in-cheek – but it’s always representative of its Italian roots. A fact that will have to be conveyed in more convincing ways than the colours of the flag on a tank top. There was the start of some interesting ideas in today’s collection, but to continue its legacy and growth in the market, Moschino has to once again find its reason for being on the schedule, as there are many pretenders to the throne who are playing into a similar aesthetic.
The second season always tends to give away more about the journey a new creative director intends to take the brand on. But in these times of designer musical chairs and the money men watching the bottom line, rather than allowing time and space for a new hire to find their footing, we will need to see more from Appiolaza for season two of this new tenure.
