This post was updated on April 4 at 1:53 pm
MM Milano is moving moths from the chandelier to the spotlight.
After showing collections in Paris and Milan, the brand made its LA Fashion Week debut on Friday as part of the event’s contemporary runway. Characterized by vibrant colors and decorative headdresses, the designs used recycled plastics and painted fabrics to mimic the shape and color of moths. Founder and chief designer Chona Bacaoco said the collection was inspired by the intricate patterns of these creatures, whose symmetry and beauty have long been overshadowed by butterflies.
“Moths need to have their own identity,” Bacaoco said. “They look like butterflies, so people see the moth and (think) it’s a butterfly… (but) it’s time for the world to know that moths exist.”
Alluding to his insect muse, the show began with animated moths fanning over a digital backing as the first design, a vibrant pink dress with short sleeves mimicking moth wings, was showcased on the runway. The outfit was completed with a matching moth headpiece, tipped to one side and made up of garlands of lights, moth cutouts, and multi-colored tendrils that acted as antenna-like protrusions. Behind the model, a screen projected kaleidoscopic patterns of moths, which continued for the duration of the show, occasionally interspersed with bold text proclaiming design inspiration or moth facts.
Wearing the same vibrant clothing as their adult counterparts, MM Milano was the only Friday show in which children walked, and Bacaoco said this was to further the brand’s message of inclusion. (Sakshi Joglekar/Assistant Photo Editor)
[Related: LA Fashion Week 2022]
The first model was soon followed by another pair of fuchsia dresses. This time, however, the ruffled, moth-embellished ensembles were worn by two boys. This was the beginning of a theme for the MM Milano runway: as the only Friday show to employ young models, it conveyed similar silhouettes and colors across ages in a style that alluded to metamorphosis. Bacaoco said that this format acted as a nod both to the life of the moth and to concrete examples of diversity on the catwalk.
“We include all ages, all colors, all sizes,” Bacaoco said. “We had (just) walked an 83-year-old grandpa into New York Fashion Week. For each age, it is like the transformation of the life of the moth: the problem, the pain, the complex personality.”
Following these themes of change, the pink dresses were followed by bright orange garments, providing a transition to the collection’s first flavor of neon green. Followed by two models in angular, form-fitting magenta gowns, the third and center model wore a ball gown whose skirt was made of a chiffon-like material and studded with sewn-on sequins. The bodice of the dress was fitted and studded with a series of denser sequins before giving way to an illusion of sleeves created by a wide, ruffled strip of fabric that wrapped around the model’s shoulders.
Although her hair was adorned with moth cutouts, similar to her counterparts, the central model also had a vertical set of golden branches sprouting from her head, elongated to mimic antennae. It was one of the most elaborate headpieces of the night, and hairstylist Bambi McClone said techniques such as creating an anchor for the piece with wires and braids were used to hold the branches together. While these basic styling methods remain the same for each look, she said results can vary drastically to fully fit each designer’s vision.
“You really have to understand their whole vibe and what mood they want it to be in,” McClone said. “Whether it’s fun and playful and colourful, or whether it’s serious and dark.”
Bacaoco said he chose vibrant colors for his collection as opposed to current trends of neutrals and pastels. The dresses, which ranged from figure-hugging to flowing, were inspired by the moth’s metamorphosis and different life stages. (Sakshi Joglekar/Assistant Photo Editor)
This understanding of the atmosphere of each show is not exclusive to the hairdressers, it is also felt by the models. Mary Smith, who walked for MM Milano this year, said she fell in love with the show’s artistic production, organization and positive energy.
In addition to the inclusivity displayed by the models, a strong MM Milano brand message is sustainability, which is also a key component to all LA Fashion Week Fall Winter 2022 shows. Bacaoco said that some of the dresses on the runway were salvaged from pieces that were 10 or 15 years old, and that all the headdresses were made from recycled materials, such as bottle caps and coffee containers. The less glamorous but equally rewarding side of fashion design, he said, was when she was rummaging through trash to find these components.
Despite the physical product of a show, Bacaoco said his main mission with this collection, and all collections, is to penetrate the superficial aspects of the fashion industry. He said that his drive for design comes from his ability to tell stories, and that he would rather focus on the ultimate goal of inspiring others through his designs rather than making a profit.
“We are here not only for the brand to be known or appreciated. We are here to tell our story,” Bacaoco said.
Source: dailybruin.com