From fuzzy jerseys to giant tube socks worn as dresses: Jeremy Scott's fashion week ode to athleticism falls short of his rebellious spirit

By Misty White Sidell

Published: 18:57 EDT, 12 February 2014 | Updated: 19:23 EDT, 12 February 2014

Jeremy Scott headed into the locker room for his fall 2014 collection, presenting a show that transformed basketball fixings like tube socks, Band-Aids, and jerseys into women’s clothing.

With that, Mr Scott also continued his love for a monster motif by knitting the faces of Madballs – a popular toy from the Eighties – onto a good portion of the show’s looks.

‘I wanted to take all of these boyish, aggro-male kind of things and do something that could be kind of feminine,’ Mr Scott, 39, told MailOnline of his intentions for the season backstage.

Athletic venture: Jeremy Scott's fall 2014 collection took inspiration from American locker rooms, including these plump, fuzzy jerseys

 

Monster mash: Mr Scott took inspiration from Madballs toys for the two looks at left, while those at right display his interpretation of sneaker lacing

The results were mixed, disjointed at best. The first few looks to emerge onto Mr Scott’s runway were a grouping of jerseys, fabricated in a fuzzy, plush fabric that even made the model’s midsections appear multiple inches larger, courtesy of their pluming fibers.

Then came Mr Scott’s Madball monsters, whose gruesome faces were rendered onto crop tops, skirts, and sweaters.

‘It was such a childhood icon of mine, I was so happy when they came to me and said they were interested in working together,’ Mr Scott said.

While the idea of employing these nostalgic faces is not outrightly offensive (Mr Scott has never catered to those favoring a prim appearance), it is worth noting how they mark the third season in a row that the designer has plastered his clothes with angry monsters.

At this point, bets are that you would have as much luck finding these caricatures on his runway as you would finding a white T-shirt at the GAP.

For fall 2014, Mr Scott worked in partnership with the graffiti artist Kenny Scharf, printing his famous amoeba-shaped terrors onto similarly-shaped miniskirts and bikini tops.

A season prior, Mr Scott allegedly used the work of skateboard artist Jim Phillips without his permission – affixing the disputed illustrations onto everything from sweatshirts to T-shirt dresses.

Giant legwarmers: Mr Scott's reenvisioned tube socks were something of a giant legwarmer, fashioned into a dress

Look back: Many of the jerseys were paired with heeled sneakers, as well as knee guards

Mr Scott’s themed shows have long earned him the title of a fashion industry renegade. He even admitted to MailOnline ‘I do not fit the mold of an American designer, but I cherish having that difference.’

However, there is no punk in repeating an idea (rendered in nearly identical silhouettes, no less), with the continued hope of creating a shock.

In tracing Mr Scott’s complete design history, it is clear how he has consistently made efforts to toy with cultural iconography ranging from burkas and fast food to My Little Pony. It’s this timely commentary that helped him make his name.

But that rebellious spirit has seemingly dropped off in the last few seasons, in favor of similar-looking collections that, at their worst, serve no favors to the human body’s natural form. 

Though in all fairness, it is possible that the designer lost focus this season while attending to his new duties as the creative director of Moschino. In the last six months he has split his time between New York and Milan, where he’ll unveil his debut collection next week.

The remainder of Mr Scott’s looks for fall largely took influence from tube socks and sneaker lacing, which were interpreted into tightly-fitted dresses and corsets, respectively.

Final bow: Jeremy Scott walks the runway after his fall 2014 show

Famous fans: Mr Scott's front row included (from left to right) model Coco Rocha, Joe Jonas, Jared Leto, and DJ Leigh Lezark

In some cases, Mr Scott even dressed models in what is essentially a giant legwarmer – a ribbed column of fabric that was fashioned into something of a tube dress.

They begged the question of how Mr Scott will channel his outlook on design into one of high-end refinement at Moschino – a label whose designs hover around the four-figure mark.

‘My clientele is more rock-and-roll that’s who I dress, people like rock stars and hip hop queens,’ he explained to us.

‘Some of that you will find [at Moschino] but there is also eveningwear and suits...I’m playing with some new codes and explore some new things.’