Under Jeremy Scott‘s gaze, Moschino hasn’t shied away from challenging our perceptions of suitable attire (think flaming ball gowns and Windex). But the house’s drug-reference heavy spring/summer 17 “capsule” collection has proved too much for New York retail giant Nordstrom. The range was inspired by over-the-counter medications, and took aesthetic cues from pill bottles, prescription labels, and an array of tablets. While the collection’s slogan, “Just Say MoschiNO,” is a twist on anti-drug campaigns from the 1980s, some individuals felt it is also making fun of drug abuse.
Following the range’s Milan Fashion Week debut last month, a handful of critics took to Twitter claiming items such as bags that resembled pill bottles, and iPhone cases modeled after blister packs parody prescription drug abuse. Minneapolis drug counsellor and recovering addict Randy Anderson even created a change.org petition calling for Saks Fifth Avenue to stop selling the collection and asking shoppers to boycott the store until it did.
Although Nordstrom wasn’t named in the petition, the retailer took its message to heart and chose to pull the items from its physical and online stores. In a statement to the LA Times, Nordstrom explained: “We appreciate all the constructive feedback we received from concerned customers and ultimately decided to remove the collection from our site and the three stores where we offered it.”
At the time of writing, Saks Fifth Avenue hadn’t followed suit. For the record, Scott has expressed the collection was largely inspired by Jacqueline Susann’s cult book Valley of the Dolls, and its themes of consumerism, fading fame, and the destruction that can shadow our quest for perfection.
Credits
Text Wendy Syfret
Image via Instagram