"Fashion is full of chic." Franco Moschino
Franco Moschino was born in 1950 near Milan, Italy. He attended the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Milan, where he studied fine arts.
Moschino was working as a fashion illustrator when he was hired by Gianni Versace in 1971. He worked for Versace until 1977, and then as a designer for Cadette until he launched his own line in 1983.
Moschino's guiding principle was that fashion should be fun, and he mocked conventions of haute couture, often writing messages such as "Expensive jacket," "Who's to say what's in good taste?" and "Warning: fashion shows can be damaging to your health." on his garments.
Moschino's designs were innovative, focused on his use of unusual objects and materials for accents or decorations. He sought surrealistic displacement in his clothing, along the lines of Elsa Schiaparelli.
The pinnacle of Moschino's challenge to the fashion industry was his launch of his lower priced line in 1988, which he named Cheap & Chic.
Moschino died in 1994.
Rossella Jardini is now the head designer for Moschino, and has cut back on the gimmickry that Franco Moschino had infused into his women's couture collections, while retaining his wit.