Franco Moschino (1950-94), born near Milan, Italy, has always been associated with fun, peace and creativity.

Having studied art in school, he began his career in 1971 sketching designs for Giorgio Armani, with whom he continued to work for the next 11 years.

During this time, he contributed to the Armani collections for Beged'Or and Genny. He also worked at Cadette, an Italian company, from 1976. He launched his own company, Moonshadow, in 1983.

Moschino was charismatic, imaginative, and irreverent, with an interest in pop culture. He was a whimsical designer, who rebelled against the fashion industry ("Ready to Where?") and was therefore embarrassed by his own success.

In the Moschino "Cheap And Chic" 2004 collection, schoolgirlish jokes are to Moschino what knits are to Missoni or psychedelic prints to Pucci: they are the core of the brand's identity.

This season, the goofing around starts with a rusty brown coat, with fluorescent over-the-knee stockings and satin wedges.

From there the collection played a kind of sophomoric peekaboo with surrealism, referencing Dali (lip prints on silk dresses), Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Berard (pink georgette scarf-printed gowns).

For those who still didn't get it, cotton underwear with slogans like "too haute to handle" (bada-boom) referred to the general theme of messing about with the icons of Parisian couture.

Chanel-inspired jackets had fringes clanking with plastic beads in hard-candy colours; strapless tulle evening gowns were encrusted with safety pins or enamel badges to mimic embroidery.

Some of the gags were misjudged, like a reprise of punk (not that old chestnut again!) and the use of far too much black to be funny. But there were plenty of pieces that toyed with summer's trends in a way that won't make Moschino shoppers feel they're buying into a complete joke.

Moschino is opening its enlarged store on the second floor of Plaza 66.

(Shanghai Star  June 11, 2004)