“Olivia” by Beatrice Brandini

Franco Moschino

“If you can’t be elegant at least be extravagant” Franco Moschino

KAOS! Originally disordered state of matter in the period prior to the formation of the world .

Advertising campaign 1985

I remember many years ago, namely in 1993, I went to Milan to see an exhibition tribute to Franco Moschino, the show was titled “KAOS! 1983 – 1993 “ and was one of the most beautiful retrospective dedicated to a fashion designer I’ve ever seen. After a while he would be gone, leaving an immense void never filled.

    

Dresses by Moschino in 1989 and 1990

I have always been in love with his fashion because as designers, architects or painters, for me the ART should always keep togheter play and irony at in the same time, should give us pause, smile, think, but above all it must make us feel good,  that is admiring it, wearing it, or using it.  Franco Moschino was all this and much more, especially was a pioneer of its kind, revolutionizing the concept of fashion, schemes, rituals of the fashion system, imposing a new taste and a new feminine aesthetic. Without ever being pretentious or too much account of himself.

    

Dress and corset shirt 1990

    

Tailleur 1991

I decided to talk to him above all for those who love fashion and its protagonists, but at the time of Moschino was not born or was too young.  Is not easy to find material of a few decades ago  (internet wasn’t existing, and the social networks too). For this reason, instead of reinterpreting its fashion I did some sketches of his creations ,with the awareness that it is only one thousandth of his creativity.

    

Tailleur inspired by the Gazzetta dello Sport 1993

So I want to give credit to this great artist, a little painter, very dreamer, who first (simultaneously or even before Hamnet ) used the slogans, propaganda, irreverent and actual,  always with a ironic key. First used non-conventional models. First he did the event fashion show, almost like a merry theatrical performance. First teased the fashion world (his famous phrase : ” Stop the fashion system ” or “who thread poisons you, tell him to stop”  ), which in those years was, especially Italy and Milan, famous and celebrated, but also a little too focused on herself .

Ladybug Dress 1995

First made of the revolutionary advertising campaigns for the means used (models not models, old ladies, wallpapers trompe l’ oeil  ), for the intrinsic message, or clearly stated, that concealed (desecrating Catholic symbols or claim to be unique and different) . Moschino made his boutique art, especially of the windows, each time with a different theme, theme wonderfully represented (remember those related to Christmas , the nativity scene was even Superman; the one set in a studio 50s with busts and vintage sewing machines; that the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the dummy next to the wall torn down was wearing a coat with embroidered “follow me .. “); all seemingly funny, but in reality very intimate in their irreverence and irony. When I lived in Milan, often in the evening I went to Via della Spiga and admire those wonders.

“Raffia and vegetables” dress, private collection

 

“Patch” dress, private collection

“Target” dress, private collection

Moschino and his fashion and creations overturned rules and codes, collecting stimuli from past eras, from the commedia dell’arte (especially human), mixing them with their emotions and feelings, trying to make fashion more “light” .

Moschino dress Beatrice Brandini’s sketch

He was born in Abbiategrasso in 1950. Initially he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan to become a painter. Soon will draw close to fashion, before becoming an illustrator, then collaborating with Gianni Versace and Cadette, a famous brand of the era. In 1983 he founded his own brand, expanding production to Couture, Jeans, Man, and in 1988, creating a second line Cheap and Chic .

Moschino dress Beatrice Brandini’s sketch

Once declared, ” The Moschino’s concept is to leave total freedom of choice to those who wish to dress. The settings are banned, what they used last year, if you like, you will also use this year and next ”

 

Moschino dress Beatrice Brandini’s sketch

I’ve always admired, followed, loved, I tried to buy some of your numerous and fantastic creations (the only ones that I do not ever defeat), just as you would buying a rare and precious thing.

Moschino dress Beatrice Brandini’s sketch

You’ve been a great stylist “harlequin”, I’m sure there will wear costumes and masks for entertaining with lightness, humor and poetry, your friends and followers , making them, once again , have fun .

Hello Franco and thank you!

Good life to all

Beatrice