Jeremy Scott. Spring 2021 RTW - Milan

                               (Images:  Moschino.  All credit)

Milan Fashion Week has ended with a slew of shows that were not runway orientated, only a small minority braved the bet, that their runway exposure will lift sales better than a lookbook affair, yet, one cannot dismiss elements of averment to the severity of this pandemic, more so that the lack of oversight throughout Europe and America which has unleashed a so called 2nd wave.  While there is an overall dissatisfaction of governments handling of the pandemic, it is mostly skewed from an economic perspective. Global markets, unsure of how economies can adjust to the viral beatdowns, seem to be so far missing the opportunity to improve and change the overall structure, which on the most part have been very far and few between. 

However, it is the creativity of Jeremy Scott, who has held the reigns, since 2013, of the early 1980s Italian fashion pop culture icon of Moschino, imprinting his own take on the artistic and cleverly orientated looks that the late Franco Moschino instigated three decades ago.  Scott has risen to the occasion for Moschino's Spring 2021 collection, in its appeal to which he has not overly set upon his latest collection as a garish backlash.  But rather Scott has refined, in a appreciative way, what Moschino achieved in the early 80s with the pop art infused couture aesthetics. A fantasy emerged with realism.

So, what better way in maintaining a realization of the hyperreal, to which pop art reflects, by creating a show of marionettes, based off actual models, walking down a runway, with an audience of puppets all stylized to be a snapshot of what could've have been an actual runway.  Scott's attention to detail for these 30 inch high puppets is astounding, deciding in April of this year, when the first lockdown occurred, in a preparation that would be no runways shows in 2020.  Even though there have been the rebellious or stubborn few who have shown at Milan, with France now being hit hard with the second wave, designers need to embrace the pressures as a creative challenge.  And it is Scott's latest project, that offers something very special indeed. 

The miniature style collection that Scott has undertaken, in its homage to couture techniques is absolutely astounding.  The skill of shrinking down 40 life size looks to fit the puppet 'models', as a projection of scale is an outstanding achievement, even though it's projected within a make believe setting.  It feels more real, at this point in time, than a live show, amidst an out of control pandemic.