Jeremy Scott has never shied away from pushing the boundaries of good taste, presenting collections that are rife with psychedelic colors, jarring patterns, and piles of embellishments. The designer definitely adheres to a more-is-more mindset. And though it may not be to everyone’s liking—given the insufferable hyphenate off-brand by many in the media—his line has outlasted countless others that have followed a more traditional, albeit safe, approach. Just because it comes across as gaudy doesn’t mean it isn’t intelligent, or considered. For him, fashion is a celebration of the outliers, offering up tongue-in-cheek presentations that comment on society, often going against the stringent rules of decorum that are enforced by puritan factions. The Spring 2020 collection, however, wasn’t as thought-provoking as some of his best.
The runway presentation, which kicked off the official first day of New York Fashion Week, definitely stuck to Scott’s out-of-this-realm sensibilities, displaying 56 looks that blended space-age characterizations à la Barberella and The Astro-Zombies (a psychedelic mini dress with linebacker shoulders and large silver piping paired with metallic leather thigh-high boots) with styles taken from the Flintstones, a stalwart source of inspiration of his (a long-sleeve mini dress cast in a green tiger print that recalls the outfit of Pebbles, the baby in the Hanna-Barbera television cartoon). Throughout the show, Scott meandered between these two representations of ’60s kitsch, adding layers of frills on the skirts and shoulders, along with an abundance of colorful crystal and rhinestone adornments. There were also a sprinkling of menswear that adhered to the same vibe. But what characterized many of his distinguished seasons (particularly the meat-print collection from Spring 2011, the iconic logos collection from Fall 2011, and the Spring 2019 collection that had 3-D appliqués that read “Riot,” “Hyper,” “Sex,” “Peace”) wasn’t clear this time around.
He definitely transports guests to a different planet, but what makes some of his collections great is the way they are grounded in reality. And without a resounding message, all that is left with Spring 2020 is a hodgepodge of outré pieces. Scott, though, has another chance to wow this season with his collection for Moschino, which will be presented at the upcoming Milan Fashion Week. Maybe then will we see a concise tenor of views on society.
Check out the Jeremy Scott Spring 2020 collection in the slideshow:
