5
6 IS IT A SEASHELL? IS IT A SWIMSUIT?
This look from 2001 holds amazing
memories for me, not just because it’s
Devon Aoki — my friend and muse —
and a reminder that she started her
career with me. But because it’s
everything I stand for: it’s sexy,
humorous and avant-garde. Until that
point I’d divided the fashion world — the
old guard couldn’t get it, and the new
guard couldn’t get enough of it, but this
show was a turning point. André Leon Talley
had gone on TV and said, “I should never
design again,” but suddenly I wasn’t being
brushed off any more.7 GIGI HADID IN MY PAPER DOLLS DRESS
You’re not supposed to have favourites,
but when I look back I love everything
about this 2017 show I did for Moschino.
We created a fantasy and got to show it
off on Gigi. So much of my work is about
nostalgia — it’s a way to connect with
people. As a child dolls were a way for me to
experiment with fashion — I dressed them
up with Kleenex and Scotch tape.8 BART SIMPSON KNITS
This collection from 2012
was me tapping into pop
culture. I am a kid from a
farm in the Midwest and
part of the fabric of
America. I come from the
people. When I referenced Bart
I was playing with that idea. Cartoon
couture wasn’t a thing then. Now
you’ll struggle to find a luxury brand
that isn’t doing it.9 THE TUXEDO FOR TWO
This 2018 piece was based on a
design I did for my graduation show.
What’s so important about it is the
double whammy. It’s a classic idea,
the notion that we’re all connected.
It’s also about the meeting of gender. Oslo
Grace, who modelled one half of it, was
transitioning at the time, while Violet Chachki
is a drag queen. I grew up androgynously and
played with gender for a long time. I accept all
parts of me as one whole. The two of them
represent a lot of me. ■Moschino is published by Assouline at £2155 McDONALD’S — BUT
MAKE IT HIGH FASHION
I’d not long taken the job at Moschino when
I saw the McDonald’s sign and the iconic
slogan over it that said “20 billion served”, and
the idea for my 2014 debut collection came to
me. Immediately I thought,“Fast food, fast
fashion.” Moschino were great about it: I’ve
had an unprecedented amount of extreme
freedom; I’m not policed by them at all.6
9
Getty Images, Shutterstock, Corey Tenold
The Sunday Times Style • 29