Suitcases in different colors and shapes, modern and vintage, were piled up haphazardly in the large industrial location in Milan chosen by Adrian Appiolaza for Moschino’s first men’s show and women’s 2025 resort.
The concept of lost and found luggage was a metaphor for the “journey of discovery and exploration, moving from a chaotic life toward a paradise chosen,” the designer said during a preview. He believes in building characters for Moschino, who explore, lose themselves in that exploration, and find a new perspective — all in the name of freedom of expression, which is key to Appiolaza.
The display had an autobiographical back story as the designer’s first job in his birth country of Argentina was at an insurance company “to save money to leave to go to London, back in the ‘90s” — and never wear a suit again in his life.
Fast-forward some 20 years, Appiolaza relished the opportunity to put a papery suit into a shredding machine, and add whimsical touches such as brooches that looked like fried eggs. A pin-striped jacket was actually a trompe l’oeil shirt. Starched shirt collars became embellishments on sleeves and a tank top was made entirely paper clips.
He brought back Franco Moschino’s “survival jacket” from 1992 but adapted it to the city, and came with hand sanitizer, notepads, Post-its, pens and other stationery in its many pockets.
Appiolaza believes Moschino is genderless, and his characters moved from Italian cities to the countryside: one carrying a pizza clutch; another wearing a T-shirt smeared with tomato sauce.
Freedom for Appiolaza is represented by life outdoors: skirts made with flowers, a dress with a duck print — and kooky feathered sandals with orange, webbed-feet heels — or a dress with “loves me, loves me not” daisy petals flowing around as a motif. The silk patchwork combination of prints, and contrasting colors was entirely in line with Moschino’s tradition.
Appiolaza was careful to turn his attention to accessories, with cute Minnie-like 1930s pumps, a heart-shaped attaché case — “for those that love their job,” said Appiolaza, chuckling — smiley ties and banana brooches.
The designer is mindful of balancing Moschino’s quirkiness with commercial considerations, so he balanced the tongue-in-cheek looks with chic and wearable designs, such as a beautiful trench over a boudoir slipdress, or an azure dress with Franco Moschino’s carnation flower motif — fit for any social occasion. “Sometimes it’s how you put things together, and then if you pull things apart, they become items that everybody can wear. I want people that come to buy Moschino to have fun, it’s part of the DNA of the brand, and I think it’s so important,” he said.
It was a solid and promising first men’s and resort collection, and the fun element was there, without it being too over-the-top.