Dive Brief:
- Designer Jeremy Scott, known for his cheeky style and high camp flair, has announced his departure from Italian luxury house Moschino after a decade as its creative director.
- The announcement, first posted by WWD, was confirmed by Massimo Ferretti, executive chair of Moschino’s parent company Aeffe, who thanked Scott for “ushering in a distinct and joyful vision that will forever be a part of Moschino history.”
- Scott is only the third creative director of the brand, and took over from Rossella Jardini, who inherited the role from founder Franco Moschino following his death in 1994.
Dive Insight:
After a decade at the creative helm, Kansas City-born designer Jeremy Scott, 47, is leaving Italian fashion house Moschino, teasing in an all caps Instagram post, “can’t wait to share with you all what I have in store for you next!”
The Pratt-educated Scott — who was a PR intern at Moschino during his senior year of college — helped Moschino’s sales soar tenfold during his tenure with the brand, due in part to his over-the-top fashion shows and celebrity fans, including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears, who wore a flight-attendant costume he designed in her “Toxic” music video.
Collaborations were a specialty for Scott, such as his 2008 partnership with Adidas, back when he was focused on his own label, a 2018 Moschino collection with H&M, and 2015 Moschino Barbie doll with Mattel that sold out in an hour.
Of course, some of those projects didn’t quite work. Scott’s 2012 JS Roundhouse shoe for Adidas was pulled due to its uncomfortable resemblance to slave shackles, and in 2018, his “Illegal Alien” ad campaign was lambasted online for its depiction of Gigi Hadid with her skin painted blue.
Parent company Aeffe Spa, which has been a Moschino licensor since the brand’s debut in 1983, previously acquired a 70% stake in 1999, and acquired the remaining 30% in 2021.
On Wednesday, after Aeffe Group reported a net loss of $10 million (9 million euros) in 2022 on revenues of $377 million, its shares on the Milan Bourse fell 7.1% by that afternoon. That’s compared to a $13 million profit the previous year. The company said the loss was a result of a non-recurring tax benefit and COVID-19 challenges.
Scott has not released any plans for his next endeavor, but his eponymous line, which has languished for the past few years, may get a refresh. There’s also the potential for future television appearances and movie roles, or even more collaborations. In a text message to The New York Times, Scott said, “Every book has chapters and as I end this chapter, I am excited to share with the world my next chapter.”
