Let us briefly rewind time to 1497, and set the stage in Florence. It was the night of Mardi Gras, as the people of Italy were celebrating beauty, when a puritanical mob of Dominicans stormed the prized city to rid Florence of all beautiful objects. Musical instruments, manuscripts, mirrors, artworks, liberating clothing—all gone. After smashing anything that resembled beauty and setting fire to the rest, this time, from then on, became known as Falò Delle Vanità or the “Bonfire of The Vanities.” Renaissance virtues, such as intellectual stimulation and self-expression, were put to the test of time, and ultimately helped shape the modern world as we now know it. From ashes, the town began to be beautiful once again.
Fast-forward 519 years, and redirect your attention to another beautiful city northeast of Florence. We’re in Milan for Moschino’s fall/winter 2016-17 fashion show, and we’re having déjà vu. In a smoke storm of looks—literally, since a few charred dresses and skirts came equipped with integrated smoke machines—we got a whirlwind of hardcore glam, fit for post-apocalyptic party. What was once left in the past was in the present-day spotlight, still half-shattered, half-smoking, and yet fully fashionable. We saw bad girl glam take a new turn, offering loosely tied capes around the shoulders, huge bows, and burnout dresses that were actually, well burnt. And we definitely can’t act like we didn’t see the grand chandelier stemming externally in two tiers from a strapless black dress—a special partnership with Swarovski that may once have crashed down onto a dinner party.
Courtesy of Luisa Beccaria.
Full-blown fashion art emerged from the Burnout collection, as we got a whiff of the “It’s Lit” capsule collection—a dangerously addictive line of cigarette carton bags, matchbook clutches, 20-pack cigarette iPhone cases, and a print that is hypothetically burned to perfection for Moschino logo tees. Hats by Stephen Jones were seen bringing edge in addition to plated Moschino belts, waist chains, headdresses, gloves, and veils.
If all good things must come to an end, let them begin again with Moschino.
Saint Laurent spring/summer 2017
