Jeremy Scott’s Moschino x H&M Collection is a Love Letter to Fans

There are half a million sequins in a Manhattan penthouse, and it’s all Jeremy Scott’s fault. The tongue-in-chic designer is prepping for his latest runway show—a Moschino x H&M capsule collab—and the shine factor must be major. There are sequins on parkas, on sweatpants, on beautiful boys walking shirtless through Scott’s pop-up atelier. And though Kira-Kira might not be ready for such sparkle, the Internet definitely is: as of this article, there are already 2300 Instagram photos with the show’s assigned hashtag #hmoschino… and the show doesn’t start for another 25 hours.

H&M

“This collection is really for the fans,” says Scott, thumbing through the runway looks at H&M’s New York offices. “When I go on social media after our shows, or even run into people on the street, I see how Moschino’s designs connect with people on such a visceral level, even if they’re not able to buy all of them. So I wanted to give the fans a gift back to them, for all the love they’ve given to me, you know? To pair with H&M means to be able to give more people access to the clothes they love, without prohibiting them from paying their rent. That’s a big, important element that I feel like I’ve been missing.”

Marcus Mam

Prices will range from about $20 to $400, with Instagram icons like Gigi Hadid and Stella Maxwell starring in the campaign, and even more mega-models set to hit the catwalk tonight. I ask Scott—who famously cast Maxwell, both Hadid sisters, and Cara Delevingne on his catwalk before anyone else—if he thinks supermodels are still relevant in the age of influencers. “Fashion is still a bit of an archaic situation, though,” he says. “No matter how much people say ‘fashion shows are dead,’ or ‘Fashion Week is dead,’ it never is! It’s always tall, beautiful women wearing impossible clothes. And we gather around in a room and worship it!” he laughs.

Marcus Mam

“No matter how much things have changed in how we live and what kinds of technology we use, how camera to video has changed what we look at on a daily basis, people still want to sit down and wait for impossibly beautiful girls to walk around showing us the latest creations. Something about this is in our DNA. It speaks almost tribally to us. It can’t ever become obsolete. Even if we’re watching models and fashion on a screen from our bedroom, we’re still watching it.”

Marcus Mam

But if you like your fuchsia faux fur and logo hoodies with a side of influencer magic, it’s okay: among the muses for this collection are drag empress Aquaria, Pose ingenue Mj Rodriguez, Japanese twin rockers Amiya, and Moschino’s own beloved publicist, Pablo Olea, all of whom star in the collection’s look book along with plus size model Barbie Ferreira, a.k.a. Barbie Knox. “She can’t do the show, unfortunately, because she’s filming her new TV show [Euphoria, starring Zendaya]… I’m thrilled for her success as an actress, but I’m sad she can’t be on the runway with us. She was really integral to the vision of this collection,” which merges the va-voom! glamour of Italian style with pop culture icons like Mickey Mouse and the MTV logo.

Marcus Mam

Also integral: a condom motif on tees, sweats, purses, and even bedazzled earrings. “I did actually make Moschino condoms,” Scott says. “I told H&M I wanted to give them out at the show, and at the stores, too; honestly, I want to give them out wherever we can. I say, let them be free, wherever they can be, so that kids who are embarrassed to buy them or even who just forget to buy them will be like, “Oh, this is free! This says Moschino and I can just take it!” And it’ll lead to more safe sex, and more awareness of safe sex. That’s my dream,” he sighs.

Marcus Mam

Wait, really?

“Oh yeah,” Scott nods. “It’s my imperative duty to encourage people to be engaged and aware of the world, and what they can do to make it better.” According to Scott, that includes voting, helping others, practicing safe sex, fighting bigotry, and wearing clothes from inclusive, effusive designers. After all, peace takes courage, and also, sequins.

Moschino x H&M launches November 8 at select stores worldwide and online at HM.com. Watch the fashion show live tonight, October 24, on Instagram.