8/14/2019 Moschino Celebrates 25 Years of Fashion, Whimsy and Humor

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9International Herald TribuneTuesday, October 28, 2008 ****

STYLE

By Jessica Michault

MILAN

A front row filled with stuffed animals, an invitation made from a napkin

tied around a set of silverware, and an open delivery truck with runwaymodels flowing out of the back are just a few examples of how theMoschino brand continues to harness humor in the name of fashion. For

thepast 25years,the company hasprosperedwith a foundationof irreverence,funand a surrealist frivolity that runs counter to the way slick, big-business fashionfunctions today. And its creative director, Rossella Jardini, wouldnt have it anyother way.

Theglossy,glamorousand coolworldof fashionhaveneverparticularlyfascin-ated me: I adore fashion and many of its representatives not for those aspects butfor the creativity, the research and the effort that remains behind every collec-tion, said the designer.

Jardini who started working alongside the companys founder, FrancoMoschino, in 1981 and took over designingthebrandafterhisdeathin1994 haslongkept a low profile, letting the sunny brandimage and the colorful clothing speak forthemselves. But in the new fashion worldorder, where designers are almost as fa-mous as the brands they work for, Jardini has started to step into the spot-

light in hopes of giving a face to abrand.

A slimwomanwhooften dressesinlarge sweaters and easy trousers wornwith big jewelry and thick dark-

framed glasses, she offeredfrank responses to ques-

tions about her ap-proach.

I dont designthe collectionin myhead,she saidin are-cent interview, speaking in a mix of Italian, French andbrokenEnglish. Ihavea teamthathelpswiththat.For meit isallabout thechoiceof fabricsand themixing oftextiles.That

is always my starting point when I put together a collection.Sinceits inceptionin 1983, Moschino hasbeen knownfor its

playful style, one that particularly enjoyed poking fun at itsown industry with comical messages on clothing like

Fashion Ready to Where? or the words Channel No.5 inside the image of a TV set on a T-shirt. Cheekyclothing, including teddy bear collars on dresses,trompe lil swimsuits, or a jean jacket made fromdenim pants and a matching leather belt as a collar

haveall foundtheirwayontotheMoschinorunway inthe past. Jardini only recently star ted taking bows at the end

of her fashion shows, and she almost always does itwith at least one member of her design team. I didntgo out on the runway as a form of respect for FrancoMoschino.ButnowI thinkit isO.K.formeto beseen,but it is also important that I show that I a m not theonly one doing everything, the designer said.

Over the past quarter-century the brand, which isowned by the Aeffe Group, has gradually expandedand now has more than 20 different clothing and ac-cessories lines that bear the companys name, fromthe high-end Moschino line and the younger Cheap

and Chic collection to accessories like ties, under-wear, perfume, gloves and sunglasses. The brand hasgrown, more or less under the fashion radar, and nowcounts 90 stores worldwide in places as far flung as

Capri, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania; Istanbul; New Delhi;and Singapore, with plans to reach 100 stores by 2010.

Under Jardinis direction over the past 14 years, there hasbeen a subtle shifting of the more over-the-top, ironic and play-ful aspects that are the DNA of the brand, out of the clothinglines and into the supporting categories of accessories, storedesigns,runwaybackdropsand advertising.Of coursetherearestill big bows on dresses, witty prints and cute embellishmentsin boththe Moschinoand Cheapand Chiccollections,but theyno longer seem to overpower the clothing. They have becomeaccents to solid design work that can be appreciated on itsown. The celebrity world has certainly taken notice, with thelikes of Nicole Kidman, Beyonc Knowles, Jessica Alba andDebra Messing choosing to wear Moschino on the red car-pet.

Jardini said she is happy that Hollywoods leading ladieslike her clothing, but regrets there is not a more personal re-lationship between the stars and designers.

I wish that such beautiful and communicative womenhad their own personal style, in an independent way, apartfrom the stylists and fashion brands, she said. Maybe itdepends on the self-confidence that women have or donthave in themselves, confidence with their body, but I know

that I would love to again see women and actresses who leave amark with their personality in current fashion.

Italystill ringsup themost businessfor theMoschinobrand,bringingin 32per-cent of sales. The remainder of Europe takes up another 30 percent; North Amer-ica, 11 percent; Japan, 9 percent; and 18 percent is culled from th e rest of the world.In 2007 Moschino generated 136.8 million, or about $187.4 million, in sales, up 9percent over 2006, which had already seen a 7 percent increase from 2005.

But 2008 has been a particularly fruitful year for the company. It is a bit like astrange cosmic aligning of the stars that all of this is happening this year, Jardinisaid, referring to the number of new ventures that are launching this year.

This year the company has added a line of whimsical Cheap and Chic jewelrythat incorporates the tongue-in-cheek style of the house. Earrings are made from

the pairing of a goose on one ear and an egg onthe other. Cufflinks spell out strike and arefastened with bowling pins, and link braceletsare made with the houses iconic heart motif.The company has also revamped its watch line,startinganew partnershipwiththe BindaGroup

for its spring/summer 2009 collection, and hasadded a new line of colorful motorbike helmetsthat should do well in its Italian market.

In MayMoschinoreturnedto NewYork, afterclosing its last shop there in 2000, with a new2,500 square-foot, or 230 square-meter, flagshipstore in the meatpacking district. The store car-ries most of the Moschino clothing and ac-cessories lines and is designed in the same ar-resting and amusing way as the rest of thecompanys shops. This means couches in theform of purses, light fixtures sprouting out of boots and eye-catching window displays.

The brand also made a move away from itscore fashion business this year and broke

ground on the new Maison Moschino luxury hotel, reappropriating an oldneoclassical railway station on Viale Monte Grappa in Milan. The interior isdesignedby Jardinia ndis faithfulto Moschinosquirkyloveof surrealism,tak-

inginspirationfromtheworldof fairytalesandthe dreamstheyconjureup.It isslated to open next year.

Thebeautifulthingfor meis thatwhenyou createa firstprojectyou have fewerboundaries: the fantasy can run freely and the limits are less oppressive, the de-signer said.

Buteven ifall ofthesenewventuresaresureto keepJardinibusy, itis clearthatherfocus willalwaysbe oncreatingwearable clothes.I wantpeopleto notice thepersonwearingmy clothinga ndthink theylookbeautifulf irst,Jardinisaidwithalaugh. It is not as important that someone recognizes its a Moschino design, atleast that way they can wear it for more than just one season.

A video of Suzy Menkes vi siting the new Marc by Marc Jacobs Parisian fla gship and talking to the

companys co-founder, Robert Duffy, about thebrands expansion. A recession-proof store, the

first European f lagship for Marc Jacobss diffusionline offers customers a cheery mix of high- and low-

priced clothes and accessories.

Images from Moschino

Ben Seidler

Catwalking.com

Clockwise from top left: A humorous Moschino handbag; an inventiveinvitation to a Cheap and Chic show; ahelmet from the new line launched this year; an arresting window display at the Milan f lagship; the brands creativedirector, Rossella Jardini; a front row at a Moschino menswear show filled with stuffed animals; a Lock Ness bracelet from the new Cheap and Chic jewelryline; a whimsical white rabbit storedisplay; a military-inspired ensemble from the fall/winter 08 show; and anabstract f lower print sweater from theCheap and Chic fall/winter 08 show.

Graziella Vigo for Moschino

iht.com/style A slide show of the f un-loving

world of Moschino.

Having fun with Moschino: A designer takes a bow

iht.com/style