Baby-lady? Jeremy Scott invented a new fashion genre for his Moschino show his first live runway since the pandemic began. Held this season at New York Fashion Week, the master showman returned to the runway with a joyful collection inspired by childhood nostalgia. His take on pre-school chic is an insane mix of nursery graphics, Kawaii cool and sexy Fran Drescher à la The Nanny-era suiting that reworked Franco Moschino’s famous, sassy skirt-suits as well as the saccharine Chanel tweeds beloved of Karl Largerfeld in the early nineties.

“It’s very ladies who lunch but it’s also nursery rhymes, so it’s baby lady,” said the designer with his customary wink.

Candy pink tweed skirt suits came in itsy-bitsy proportions, and were accessorised with teething-toy earrings and plastic buttons made of love hearts or cute cartoon characters. Printed bustiers, babydolls and quilted coats featured a menagerie of adorable baby animals from bunnies to big-eyed kittens and cheeky little monkeys. Models carried love heart handbags or totes shapes like Mary’s little lamb – inspired by the designer’s favourite nursery rhyme. Sugar and spice and all things nice? “I‘ve never worried about anything being too saccharine,” said Scott.

And why should he? This playful collection packed a powerful, emotional punch. Scott served up a comfort blanket of nostalgia, with a joyful dollop of optimism and a much needed, post-pandemic coquettish sense of fun. “Sweet dreams are indeed made of these,” said Scott.

Photography by Marco Ovando.

moschino.com