If there is one brand that has always caught my attention it’s Moschino. The campy style, vivid colors, and outlandish fashion shows have always been a favorite of mine. But is Moschino a luxury brand?
The Italian brand has always screamed innovation to me. But is Moschino a luxury brand? Does the price tag really mean you are getting quality pieces that will stand up to time?
In this article, I will explore Moschino’s history, influence, creativity, and criticism to determine if this funky brand deserves its luxury status.
What is luxury?
Luxurious brands are distinguished by their high-quality materials, craftsmanship, exclusivity, and prestige.
They are often associated with fashion events, celebrities, luxury retailers, and high-profile collaborations.
If you take that into account, Moschino is considered a luxurious brand. The fashion house has a long history of being an innovator of bold, playful designs.
What is Moschino’s History?
What do we actually know about Moschino? The luxury fashion house was founded in 1983 by Franco Moschino in Milan, Italy.
Moschino has always been a brand known for its unconventional approach to fashion. This includes marrying over-the-top elements with unexpected fabrics to create fresh designs in bold prints.
But is Moschino a luxury brand? The brand consists of clothing and accessories with Franco Moschino’s signature campy style.
In the 1990s, the luxury fashion house expanded into high-end stores, including Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Additionally, around this time, Franco Moschino also began working with celebrities and other middle level luxury brands.
Unfortunately, in 1994, Franco Moschino passed away. His former assistant Rossella Jardini, took over as the brand’s creative director from 1994-2013.
During this time Jardini was able to continue Mochinos’ eccentric designs and created clothing and accessories for the likes of Madonna and Lady Gaga.
Moving forward Jardini retired from the brand in 2013 and the torch was passed on to Jeremy Scott. He continued to create magic and draw attention to Moschino including working with Karl Lagerfeld on a collaboration with Versace.
His retirement from the brand came in March 2023 as a surprise. As of today, there has yet to be an announcement on who will be Moschino’s latest brand director.
How Exclusive is Mochino?
When trying to figure out if Moschino is a luxury brand, I went at the task of answering the question “How exclusive is Moschino?
” Moschino is a designer brand with a mainline that has been featured countless times in Milan Fashion Week. The Moschino brand has ready-to-wear everyday pieces and leather accessories.
What many may not know is that Moschino branched out and also has Boutique Moschino and Love Moschino. These two subdivisions of the main collection, bring buyers striking designs at a more affordable price point.
This has been one of the many ways Moschino has worked to tap into a younger crowd that wants to wear luxury yet can’t pay the original price tag.
The pieces from Boutique Moschino and Love Moschino are still made of quality material they just don’t feature as much or if any goatskin leather like the brand’s main line does.
These off-branches have become quite popular and have a cult following that is willing to stand in-store or online for hours just to snag the latest pieces.
Who is Really Wearing Moschino?
Is Moschino a luxury brand? Is Moschino a good brand? We can’t answer those questions without asking “Who’s really wearing Moschino?
” Moschino has notably been worn by big celebrities including Madonna, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga for red carpets, fashion shows, and many other events.
Not only are celebrities wearing the Italian luxury brand, but fashion influencers are too. In 2018, Moschino collaborated with H&M for a capsule collection.
The collab featured authentic out-of-the-box Moschino designs at a more affordable price. Furthermore, the collection brought forth Moschino for those who would never be able to afford the brand before.
Since that collab, more and more influencers have been showcasing the fashion house.
Can I Afford Moschino?
When trying to answer whether Moschino is a luxury brand, I had to ask myself a serious question “Can I afford Moschino?” Luxury equals high-price so let’s look at the price point that the fashion house is operating under.
Moschino is known for its funky-colored and patterned T-shirts, especially ones incorporating bears. This one is a classic solid-color tee with a colorful rhinestone bear, it is priced at $285.
It is one of the more affordable options on the Moschino website. Image source: Moschino.com
One of the first things we think of when we think of Moschino is their handbags. Crafted to perfection, this handbag features goatskin paired with gold accents for a classic representation of the brand.
This handbag is priced at $2,545 making it one of the most expensive items on the Moschino website. Image source: Moschino.comNow is Moschino a luxury brand?
With prices like these, the fashion house is on par with luxury brands such as Ann Klein. To answer the main question “Can I afford Moschino?” the answer is not yet, but a girl can always dream, right?
Is Moschino a Profitable Investment?
When purchasing quality, high-end items you have to ask yourself “Can I resell this and make a profit from it?” If you are willing to spend the big bucks on name brands, it could be important to know if what you are buying will guarantee you some money back.
Is Moschino a luxury brand? Can you resell their pieces for around the same price? The fashion house has had many limited-edition collaborations, making its exclusivity skyrocket.
Moschino’s authentic pieces dating back to the label’s inception are extremely sought after by fashion collectors.
If you have a piece or two from the popular collabs or you have items that were passed down from generations you could be sitting on some money.
Seems like classic, iconic items such as the Moschino dress, handbags, sunglasses, and bear tees hold the most value even after many years.
Is Moschino a Luxury Brand? How’s the quality of Moschino?
In order to determine whether Moschino is a luxury brand, I took a close look at the quality and craftsmanship of the materials used to construct its products.
Materials
Taking a close look at the materials used can tell you a lot about a brand. Clothing from Moschino is made from quality materials, including Nappa leather, cotton, merino wool, and silk.
However, the Italian fashion house does incorporate less quality fabrics like polyester and viscose. Using high-quality wool and silk showcases the luxury status the brand holds.
While the synthetic materials used might be less fabulous, they are quite popular among many luxury fashion labels.
Moschino’s handbags are one of the label’s most sought-after items and they are made from authentic leather.
Craftsmanship
Like many other luxury brands, Moschino manufactures the majority of its items in Europe. Most products including the lines Love Moschino and Boutique Moschino are made in Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain.
There are also a few pieces made in China. In general, the craftsmanship of Moschino is high-quality and their pieces will last quite some time.
Is Moschino a luxury brand? When Luxury Meets Creativity
If there is something Moschino is known for is its creative, and playful outlook on fashion. The brand’s clothing and accessories including T-shirts, perfumes, handbags, and shoes are often embellished with the pairing of unconventional fabrics, slogans, and graphic designs.
One design that has truly made Moschino loved by the young and fashionable crowd has been its signature bear.
The Moschino teddy bear can be seen in different styles on T-shirts, dresses, perfume bottles, and much more.
Additionally, the Italian fashion house has gained a reputation for collaborating with high-end designers and celebrities.
These collabs have ranged from capsules to limited-edition pieces. Doing so has broadened the brand’s reach with the luxury department and fashion influencers.
Is Moschino a luxury brand? The fashion house has products being sold in high-end retail stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
It’s also been a pioneer in Fashion Week since the very beginning. Considering where the brand is currently being sold, Moschino has definitely established itself as a luxury brand that can compete with other big names.
Criticism of Moschino Throughout the Years
While Moschino has established itself as a powerhouse in the fashion industry, that has not happened without a list of criticism throughout the years.
Some will argue that the brand has lost some of its luxury status due to its multiple collaborations with fast fashion retailers.
While doing these collaborations did make the brand more accessible to others, it also left original Moschino fans with a sour taste.
Moreover, the brand has been criticized for creating insensitive collections. One collection that created an uproar was their Spring/Summer 2017 Capsule Collection.
This collection focused on patterns of prescription drugs showcased on T-shirts, dresses, and more. Similarly, another of their collections was accused of containing Native American-inspired imagery.
This collection is still being talked about to this day as one of the brand’s biggest mishaps. Also, who can forget the “Illegal Alien” Collection showcased during Fashion Week in 2018?
Due to these collections, many have stated that the brand was “tone deaf” and “ignorant. ” Even through the criticism the collections never stopped coming, in fact, they became more outlandish throughout the years.
Jeremy Scott has come out in defense of his designs, but not everyone has been receptive. These criticisms have caused many to question if Moschino is still a luxury brand or if it has become more mainstream.
The brand has worked very hard to establish itself as a luxury label, but these criticisms are showing some cracks within its foundation.
I saw these collections and while they were outlandish and maybe borderline offensive, they also made me think which is one thing Moschino is really good at.
Moschino creates art that speaks to you whether you like what you see or not.
The Moschino Experience
In 2015, the very first Moschino US Boutique opened in Los Angeles. The boutique’s aesthetic teleports you to a trendy side of Moschino where you can experience luxury and creativity from the moment you open those doors.
When I go shopping it’s important to me to have a nice experience, especially if I’m purchasing a luxury item.
The Moschino store aims to give you just that and it succeeds. You receive personalized assistance with any purchase, the workers are extremely friendly, professional and the atmosphere screams laid-back luxury.
As Jeremy Scott designed Moschino’s first storefront, he wanted shoppers to be able to find pieces from the main line, including 70% women’s pieces and 30% men’s.
All pieces were strategically placed with the newest collection visibly towards the front and past collections placed in the back.
For a classic Moschino touch, there are chrome and glass shelves, paired with stone and concrete vitrines. The feel is very authentic to Moschino and explains why many fashion influencers are drawn to the different storefronts located throughout the US.
Takeaway: Is Moschino a luxury brand?
This was the question I started seeking the answer for and I can report that the answer is yes!
The Italian brand has showcased itself to be a top contender among other big names like Gucci and Versace but with a street style twist.
It’s also taken the fashion influencer world by storm and celebrities continue to showcase classic Moschino pieces at notable events.
Plus, the fashion house uses quality fabrics and the craftsmanship is absolutely there. One more big takeaway – if you purchase Moschino you can resell it for a profit so you don’t exactly lose money over time.
FAQs
Which is more expensive Moschino or Love Moschino?
Love Moschino is the younger, trendier version of Moschino with wearable streetwear at a lower cost. When it comes to price range, Moschino is more expensive and is higher in quality.
What is the difference between Moschino and Boutique Moschino?
The difference between Moschino and Boutique Moschino is its price point. Boutique Moschino is about 40% lower in price than Moschino and it is sold in a wide range of stores.
Is Moschino a luxury brand?
Moschino is a luxury brand blending high-end luxury with accessible designs, and is a popular choice among fashion enthusiasts and celebrities alike.
Tags: Moschino brand, affordable luxury brands, italian luxury fashion brand, middle level luxury brands