WHAT ABOUT EXCESS by Adrian Appiolaza

From The Excess Issue

Whilst he’s preparing to present his fourth collection for Moschino, Argentinian designer Adrian Appiolaza tells us about his relationship with excess and what links it to the Italian fashion house.

In March 1985, The Face published “The Harder They Come”, a cult fashion editorial
put together by Ray Petri and Jamie Morgan. The rebellious expression of a young
Mitzi Lorenz became the symbol of the Buffalo movement—inspired by the incendiary spirit of punk, along with African and Native American influences—and made its mark
on the young Argentinian teenager. “Comme des Garçons, Jean-Paul Gaultier,
Yohji Yamamoto… That was the first striking fashion image I’d seen”, Appiolaza remembers. Here’s our meeting with a fashion lover for whom excess is merely a matter
of point of view.

Why did you take the position as creative director of Moschino?
A.A. I think quite simply it was the right moment. I was approached by other houses over the course of my career, but as I’m shy, I was more at ease with being behind the scenes. But last year I decided to work on my shyness and my fears, and when Moschino came to me, I was ready. And the brand shares my vision of style; my approach towards design has always been linked to pleasure, irony, humour. For me, having fun with clothes
is fundamental.

’Excess’ is the theme of this issue. How do you feel about this term?
A.A. Excess is a personal thing; it’s going beyond what people think is normal or where they think the limit is. In my personal life, I collect things to excess. I have no limits.

Would you say you work to excess?
A.A. Yes, and unfortunately, when you have that tendency, you also tend to stress excessively—and think too much. And I like to stay in control, to always be in the loop… In that respect my first season at Moschino taught me a lot. I began in January 2024 and I had less than 2 months to put together a runway show. That was when I learnt to follow my instincts and to be quick.

What was the first thing you did when you arrived?
A.A. I went to see the Franco Moschino archives. What made a big impression on me was volume. Franco was very theatrical in a certain sense: even if he worked with archetypes, prêt-à-porter was his speciality. I didn’t want to lose that theatricality, the idea of telling a story with a character, but I also wanted to give it a sense of reality, of prêt-à-porter. That’s essential for me. If I want to design something, I want people to wear it; I want people to vibe with it and identify with the idea, the concept, the person.

You’ve worked for visionary artistic directors like McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada, who all have their own understanding of excess…
A.A. Each of those designers knows how to push the limits of their own vision, their way of working… The way I absorbed the excess of each of those designers in their way of being creative has made me the designer I am today - and it taught me how to get out of
my comfort zone.

Why do you think that the sense of playfulness at Moschino, which can be aesthetic,
still has such a strong place in today’s fashion?
A.A. The very DNA of this house has always been linked to accessibility. As if everything were possible. Franco said that everything you find in the street can be an accessory and that is a direction I want to pursue. Moschino is about being able to dress as you wish and not as you should, demonstrating freedom of expression in what you wear. That for me is the real measure of success.