Written by Eleanor Morgon
Moschino recently launched its spring/summer 2017 “Capsule” Collection – a colourful take on the word capsule, with the line inspired by prescription drugs. On sale in upmarket US department stores, it has drawn fervid criticism for making drugs look cool, funny and chic.
The Jeremy Scott-designed collection features massive orange drug-bottle bags ($950), silver bags resembling giant blister packs, iPhone cases in the shape of pill bottles, T-shirts shouting, “Just say MoschiNO”, an orange drug-bottle minidress ($995) emblazoned with the words, “WARNING! Do not take medication on an empty stomach,” and, “KEEP ALL CAPSULES OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN”. The invitation for last month’s show was a pill bottle and a handwritten “prescription”.
Doctors, addiction specialists and parents of overdose victims have spoken publicly about their anger that the collection has been launched when the US is experiencing a crisis in opioid addiction and deaths from overdose. There are petitions to have the articles removed from public sale. One signatory, a nurse, wrote: “Your willingness to profit off this epidemic that’s killing thousands astounds me.” Another entry from someone describing themselves as “parents of loss due to opioid overdose” reads: “Shame on these company CEOs and [their] buyers.” Nordstrom has now pulled the collection from its stores.
Moschino has defended the collection. In an email to Fox News, its says: There was never any intent to promote prescription drug abuse … We are disheartened to hear that there has been a misunderstanding of the underlying theme of the collection.”
Ah, a “misunderstanding”. And therein lies the layer of sickliness that so often underpins dissent in fashion: the idea that, if you are upset by something, you don’t get the joke. If you don’t live in the fashion world, you couldn’t possibly get it. The word misunderstanding says: “It’s obviously not for you, then.” Only, it is for us. These clothes are on sale to the general public in massive mainstream stores.
Clever satire in fashion is powerful. Alexander McQueen did it in 2009 with his final collection, The Horn of Plenty – couture made from rubbish, in which models wore plastic bags on their heads. It was a comment on the absurdity of capitalism, and it ruffled plenty of industry feathers. Here, the joke just seems to be on anyone who isn’t laughing.