Appiolaza makes her first appearance at Moschino with a funny tribute
The stage at Moschino in Milan witnessed a fresh debut this season, with Adrian Appiolaza from Argentina presenting his inaugural collection that paid a playful tribute to the brand's founder, Franco. Succeeding Jeremy Scott, an American designer who spent the previous decade with the brand, Appiolaza brought in a shift from the grand theatricality characteristic of Scott’s later seasons, choosing instead to focus on unique reinterpretations of established Moschino symbols: whimsical smiles, vague question marks, designs imbued with optical illusion and clever utilization of traditional fashion norms.
The resulting collection by Appiolaza was surprisingly easy to wear, projected to have more retail appeal than that of his predecessor. He kicked off the show with a perfectly tailored trench coat, sported by a model carrying a brown paper bag filled with celery and a pair of baguettes. What followed was a procession of faux housewives, completing their looks with totes featuring cheerful faces, filled with flowers and artichokes. Appiolaza showcased an array of wide pants, though half-concealed under layered flamenco skirts. The brand's famous graphic lettering made its way into an edgy black mohair column dress where the word "Peace" ran from the ankle to the shoulder, the "P" neatly doubling as the neckline. Saucy printed suspender lingerie dresses with optical illusion details and sequined question mark dresses added to the collection's uniqueness. He further demonstrated his creativity by repurposing tie fabrics for chic pants and raincoat interiors.
His collection seemed to breathe life back into a colorful band of Moschino personas, from wild and eccentric housewives to delightful rockstars. The male models sported cleverly designed silk shirts in bands of black and white, wherein the black stripes resembled braces. Appiolaza also included urban cowboys in denim paired with flamenco miniskirts, carrying heart-shaped red leather bags - echoing the signature Moschino symbol.
Though his tenure at Moschino was announced merely six weeks prior to the show, Appiolaza managed to curate an impressive collection. He acknowledged that the tight deadline actually helped enhance focus and resolved decision-making, turning out to be an unexpectedly beneficial factor. Adrian, with remarkable stints at JW Anderson, Miu Miu, and Chloé in his portfolio, used numerous unforeseen images inspired by the founder's fine art collections, previously unexplored but now transformed into extraordinary clothing. For instance, silk dresses featuring black and white hands shaking in an agreement.
Born in Argentina but fluent in Italian, Adrian's ability to absorb more of the Italian culture played a role in his designs, even influencing the final cocktail dress reflecting the colours of the Italian flag. Overall, Appiolaza's confident first collection implies a promising tenure at the beloved Milan's Moschino House.
