Marie Antoinette would have worn embellished denim, if Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott had his way. Inspired by the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette, Scott brought the 1780s into the modern day with a Fall/Winter 20-21 collection loaded with embellished denim, biker-inspired leather pieces and anime whimsy.
The collection, which was presented at Milan Fashion Week, took inspiration from the ’80s, “just not the ’80s you’d expect,” the brand wrote on Instagram. “I was playing with this whole idea of a time machine,” the designer wrote in an Instagram post.
The first look was a pannier mini-dress made in denim. With a collar framing its square neckline, button-down front construction and two breast pockets, the French Blue dress mimicked the look of a classic Trucker jacket. Gold bullion embroidery and matching lace-up boots added a regal flair.
More denim mini-skirts walked the runway, as well as cutaway denim coats and matching vests. Corseted denim tops matched with hot pants. Gold embroideries were carried throughout the range. In what could be considered Marie Antoinette’s weekend look, blue jeans with button-detail hems were worn with printed corset tops and pearl belts.
Moschino also reworked the men’s Court suit, offering a woman’s version in denim. Peddle-pusher skinny jeans replaced breeches and a jean jacket stood in for the frock coat. The pieces were laser printed with a tapestry-inspired scene.
Scott applied the French Revolution aesthetic to modern items like hoodies, trench coats and black leather biker jackets, too.
And while the collection offered the joyous feeling that has become a Moschino signature, Scott said there was deeper meaning behind the concept. “I was thinking about how the geopolitical place we are in is very similar to what was going on in the 1780s: riots in Chile, Brexit, Gillet Jaune in France, Hong Kong in constant protest, my country’s democracy’s stretched thin,” he said.
As a designer, Scott said his role is to bring a reprieve from turmoil. “Sometimes being a little bit decadent is the best form of rebellion,” he said.
