THE HISTORY OF ITALIAN FASHION: MOSCHINO
The milestone of the first 30 years of history for the fashion house founded by Franco Moschino in 1983 is approaching, that year the first women's collection was presented and that was the beginning of an expansion that gives the idea of what the ‘80s were for the history of Italian fashion, although the voice of Moschino was often dissident with the system and its commitment was instrumental in making it more accountable.
Born in Abbiategrasso in 1950, young Franco entered the Academy of Fine Arts of Milan, when he was only 17 years old and dreaming of becoming a painter, not surprisingly, the taste for prints and color will be one of its distinctive features. The meeting with fashion happened by coincidence: having to pay his own schooling he started working as a freelance illustrator for major magazines, in 1971 he began to collaborate with Gianni Versace and six years later became the designer of the clothing brand Cadette which he abandon in 1982. Then came the big breakthrough and the sudden success: a year after the creation of the Moschino line for woman came the first men's collection, in 1986 the Moschino Jeans line, in 1987 at a party in the theme of "Amusement park" he launched the first women fragrance.
"I copy and desecrated other designers, recount what happens by trying to understand the motivations of people", these words of the designer perfectly summarize his view of fashion: a tool to reflect ironically on society. In fact, his clothes so colorful, exaggerated, extravagant reflect the typical taste of the 80s, his was never a hymn to hedonism, but every detail on the Moschino runway acquired a precise meaning, he was among the first to indicate the one of the paths which fashion was to follow in the years to come: the reinvention.
Franco Moschino loved to start with the classic wardrobe, such as the lady Chanel suit, whom desecrated with irony, extravagant accessories, opulent, but made with materials far from precious, the ties of the top managers of the time used to create skirts. Another merit of Franco Moschino was that of being among first the sense to the success of the second line, so in 1989 he created Moschino Cheap and Chic men and women. Between 1989 and 1990, the first stores in Italy were opened, while as a true provocateur Moschino began a long campaign to raise the awareness for fashion, advocating environmentalism: "Being fashionable means being aware of the evil that can be done to nature. Nature is better than couture ", these are his words. In 1989 the show was interrupted by one of his video titled "Fashion blitz" in those years Moschino began to bring on the catwalk ecological furs, inaugurating what was to become a habit for other big names in fashion.
Journalists and buyers loved to attend the shows of Moschino for the unexpected that was to be found around the corner, a pleasure renewed today especially in the male shows, as demonstrated in the lasts June when show which took place between the shelves of the luxury market Eat's inside the luxurious Excelsior Milan. In 1994, Franco Moschino died prematurely at the age of 44 years, but managed to enjoy the well-deserved celebration of the tenth anniversary of his fashion house, anniversary celebrated with a retrospective exhibition, a book titled "X years of chaos" and a show event. He was succeeded as creative director by Rossella Jardini his the right arm, the two had met in 1981 at Cadette, and later found each other again in 1984 at the beginning of this adventure, so it was natural for Jardini to continue the stylistic development of his friend and boss.
Polka dots and stripes, Harlequin prints and fruit, the heart and the symbol of peace, quilted bags and golden circle earrings continue to be icons of this firm, which in 1999 was taken over by the group Aeffe, creator of the new expansions.
So came new prestigious openings in countries which represent the new markets, such as Moscow, Hong Kong, Bombay, and in 2007 were underwritten important agreements with some partners: Scienward International Holdings Limited for the franchising and the distribution in China; Allison for the creation and distribution of glasses Moschino eyewear; Binda Group for the production and sale of watches and jewelry of the Cheap and Chic line; in 2008 came the collections teen and baby.
Franco Moschino's interest for the contemporary and the motivation of people remained at the core of the firm; it’s not by chance that in 2010 was inaugurated in Milan the Maison Moschino hotel, thus favoring the needs of clients who are increasingly won over by the entire way of life expressed by the great brands of the Made in Italy: in the case of Moschino a fairytale world where fashion is a way to celebrate values and joie de vivre.