What’s the difference between Moschino and Love Moschino?
So yes, Moschino is the mother brand, with clothes and accessories retailing in the stratospheric price range (quality Italian fashion – even as it makes fun of the industry – still comes with a price, darling). Love Moschino is the less expensive line that focuses on casual wear and – as a rule – creations that may not challenge in their design or aesthetic to quite the same degree but that takes the same concerns (pop art surrealism, vivid counter-intuitive colours) and compliments the whole brand vision.
Essentially a left turn in a fashion sense; if a certain conservatism inherent in luxury fashion has left you a little jaded, then the late Franco Moschino’s brand was and now is (under the irreverent lead of Jeremy Scott) the way to dress, even if the appropriate time and place need a little figuring out. Of course, Moschino would say that sexiness and fun are appropriate at any time of day or location, but you might want to keep some of the bolder creations from the office party.
Of course, when Moschino is playing any of the pantomime leads (royalty, ugly sister, Cinderella, jester) an acute understanding of and immersion in the role is essential, and for the front row visitor to this particularly showy fashion house, a pricey ticket is essential.
But Moschino has always managed to balance the two worlds (luxury fashion versus impertinent fun) for a runway and shopping experience like no other this side of the avant-garde. The brand may not be perfect (because perfect is just too, well, perfect), but it likes to create the kind of clothes and accessories that make you gasp while you applaud. An exemplar is Moschino’s Polka Dot bag that looks like a mini biker jacket in yellow, pink and black. Nobody would describe it as conventionally beautiful, but then a Moschino bag is not intent on conventional beauty
Love Moschino History
Love Moschino, (formerly known as Moschino Jeans until 1986) is a diffusion line of the main Moschino brand, forging a more relaxed, playful take on the luxury Moschino line for everyday and sports/casual use. And Moschino is generally a highly creditable place to shop off the runway; the label often provocatively pokes fun at the pricey conventions of the fashion hierarchy (even Jean Paul Gaultier has taken some ribbing) so collaborations, off-shoots, and creative diffusions are a natural corollary of this stance. Other ventures include the toned-down Boutique Moschino that riffs gently where Love Moschino (and particularly Love Moschino women) goes pop in irresistible style.
Is Love Moschino a luxury brand or a premium brand?
Love Moschino operates – strictly speaking – as a premium brand, albeit with an aesthetic and price tag that is still conscious of its lofty place in the fashion hierarchy. You don’t carry a Love Moschino handbag with the same nonchalance that you would slip on a pair of Nike collaboration sneakers or carry – say – a Michael by Michael Kors bag; A Love Moschino creation is – in essence – descended from the same lofty cloud as its designer source, with a slightly more accessible price tag as a concession to the fact that all clothes and bags are more (dare we say it) user-friendly (skinny trousers and logo t-shirts feature prominently).
