From Milan to Mainstream - Moschino’s Rise to fame

The UK is currently undergoing a fashion revolution, with more people than ever shopping for designer brands, owing in part to reality TV shows and aspirational celebrity endorsements. Throughout all of this, fashion designers are struggling to stay relevant and in vogue. One brand, however, has not struggled to stay popular. We’re talking about Moschino, a label that’s as strong now as it was when it was first debuted in 1983.

Origins Designed by Franco Moschino, the Italian brand is known for zany, outrageous designs that have been worn by the likes of Miley Cyrus. His surrealist designs and ideas were noticed by Gianni Versace and the encouragement helped launch Moschino Couture in 1983. The founding principles of the collection were progressive and bold: women should wear what they want – not what they ‘should’. Following the success of his first shows, Moschino designed Moschino Cheap and Chic and also launched Moschino Jeans (which is now referred to as Love Moschino). The final design by Franco Moschino would be the Ecouture collection in 1994, made with environmentally friendly materials. Unfortunately, Franco passed away in 1994 and his business was taken over by Rossella Jardini, a close friend and collaborator. She launched boutiques across the world and helped build the brand, before it was then taken over by Jeremy Scott.

Style Throughout its history, Moschino has been about the excess and bold. It is not afraid to stand apart and push the boundaries. This has been seen from everything from early collections that used cow print, question marks and satire to modern publicity stunts like Jeremy Scott throwing dollar bills printed with his own face at a show called ‘American Excess’. In the 2010’s, the brand has experimented with loud designs that feature teddy bears, Looney Tunes characters and has subverted famous brands like McDonalds and Coca Cola. Their pop culture references and ‘social media ready’ style clothing turn heads and draw attention. Whether it’s a graffiti dress worn by Katy Perry or a pink fishnet design donned by Miley Cyrus, Moschino makes its mark.

Why wear? If you’re into fashion, you’ll already know about Moschino – it’s impossible to ignore. They specialise in irony – almost mocking the world of high fashion whilst still hitting all the right notes. Thanks to the high standard, beautiful construction and subversion designs, you can turn the fashion world on its head by picking up Moschino designs.

Where to buy Moschino’s collections move fast – so don’t be caught in last season’s garments if you want the new stuff. In the UK, you can get your hands on the latest Moschino gear at luxury fashion retailer, Garment Quarter.