A provocative exploration of how Moschino challenges the boundaries of luxury, merging craftsmanship and rebellious energy to redefine modern elegance
Words DOMENICO COSTANTINI
Tools of the trade, the progress of labor. For the Fall/Winter 2025 collection, Adrian Appiolaza, the creative director of Moschino, explores the sartorial dimension with an unexpected approach, staying true to the craftsmanship heritage that Franco Moschino so deeply cherished. The art of tailoring and the excellence of Italian tradition are evident in every stitch, but Appiolaza’s interpretation marks an evolution—a play of spaces and meanings that transcends the boundaries of traditional fashion.
The starting point of the collection is an iconic creation by Franco Moschino: the 1992 “mannequin” dress, cut to fit the body, which becomes both an ideological and physical foundation for the creation of new garments. This image of tailoring, seemingly “frozen” midway through its creation, serves as a symbol of a deep reflection on today’s fashion industry. The garments, in a kind of freeze-frame of the creative process, showcase the tailoring dissected and reworked into decorative elements. A rough thread, a selvage that challenges perfection, becomes a new non-logo, dissolving the edges and transforming into fluid and free drapery.
Deconstruction becomes an act of reconstruction, a patchwork of elements that mix and overlap. Sweaters, intertwining, form a singular entity. The collaboration with Sanderson of London, a British textile company, breathes new life into their floral archive prints. These flowers, reinterpreted and “moschinized,” come to life, becoming symbols of a surreal world where even nature follows the rules of Moschino.
The impact of workwear is evident, with denim and washed leather telling stories of labor and resilience. These new elements for the house are translated into Moschino’s distinctive language, distorting and amplifying their origins through plays on proportions and scale. The same occurs with iconic brand motifs, such as the bow, which becomes a miniature icon or a silhouette on bare skin, more present in its absence than as a simple detail.
Craftsmanship and luxury are never separate in Moschino’s vision. Luxury is relative, an expression of constant subversion. An evening dress might be created from unexpected materials like paper or trash bags, while an oversized down jacket envelops the body in an act of contrast with the traditional idea of luxury.
In the world of Moschino, nothing is ever as it seems. Trompe-l’œil accessories, bags that aren’t bags, and surreal details make each piece an enigma of pleasure and irony. The Smiley, the belt with the golden logo, and the flamenco-style ruffles are deeply explored, amplifying their symbolic power in an act of personal joy.
Moschino’s values transcend fashion. The freedom to wear anything, mixing references and influences, reflects the changes of our time. The final message of the collection, with the famous “SOS Save Our Sphere,” is a call for awareness against the ecological crisis. A reminder that, just like Franco Moschino’s creations, it is timeless and still highly relevant, echoing how the concerns of the past continue to resonate in our present.
