Moschino, the Italian fashion house known for its playful and irreverent style, has announced that Adrian Appiolaza will be its new creative director. Appiolaza, who has previously worked for Loewe, Chloé and Alexander McQueen, will present his first collection for Moschino during the autumn/winter 2024 women’s show in Milan on February 22.
Appiolaza’s journey from Argentina to Europe
Appiolaza was born in Argentina in 1972 and grew up in Buenos Aires, where his grandmother owned a tailoring business. He developed a passion for fashion and music at an early age, and moved to London in the early 1990s to pursue his dreams. He enrolled at Central Saint Martins, where he studied fashion design with print, and graduated in 2002. His final collection caught the attention of Phoebe Philo, who hired him as a womenswear designer for Chloé. He worked with Philo for six years, contributing to the brand’s success with its feminine and bohemian aesthetic.
Appiolaza’s experience with leading fashion houses
After leaving Chloé in 2008, Appiolaza joined Alexander McQueen as a senior womenswear designer, working closely with the late founder and his successor Sarah Burton. He stayed at McQueen for four years, and then moved to Loewe in 2012, where he became the womenswear design director under Jonathan Anderson. He helped shape the brand’s modern and eclectic identity, mixing Spanish craftsmanship with avant-garde elements. He left Loewe in 2021, after nine years of collaboration.
Appiolaza’s vision for Moschino
Appiolaza said that he was honoured and excited to join Moschino, a brand that he admired for its originality and humour. He said that he wanted to pay tribute to the founder Franco Moschino, who created the brand in 1983 and revolutionized the fashion industry with his witty and provocative designs. He also said that he wanted to bring a new perspective to the brand, while respecting its heritage and values.
“I am ready to transport the Maison into a new chapter, with a theatrical touch, in the pure style of Moschino,” he said in a press release.
Appiolaza will oversee the women’s, men’s and accessories collections for Moschino, and will report to Massimo Ferretti, the executive chairman of Aeffe, the parent company of Moschino. Ferretti welcomed Appiolaza to the group, and praised his creativity and knowledge of fashion history.
“With his arrival at Moschino, Adrian brings with him a unique wealth of experience, creativity and knowledge of the history of fashion that will be instrumental to write a wonderful new chapter in the adventure of the brand founded by Franco Moschino,” Ferretti said.
Appiolaza’s appointment comes after the tragic death of Davide Renne, who was supposed to be Moschino’s creative director, but passed away in November 2021 due to a sudden illness. Renne had replaced Jeremy Scott, who left the brand in March 2021 after seven years of tenure.
