Fashion humiliation: Magnum & Moschino in Cannes

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
May 18, 2017

Now I know we all have to earn a living, but there is a limit. One that Cara Delevingne and Jeremy Scott went way past, and more so, at the deeply embarrassing launch of Magnum & Moschino in Cannes on a balmy Thursday afternoon.

 
It was meant to be a press conference to unveil two new flavors of Magnum ice creams, in the hyper colors favored by the house of Moschino. Instead, it turned out to be a witless farce, where two cool, creative human beings answered inane questions before presenting a truly dim-witted video.
 
Witnessing a great, path-breaking designer like Scott and a paradigm-bursting model such as Delevingne parade themselves on a podium before a rugby scrum of fans was, quite frankly, deeply depressing.

The charade opened with a video ad entitled “Release the Beast, Dare to Go Double” featuring Delevingne being chased by cartoon demons for her ice cream. Talk about pop infantile.
 
“Jeremy, can you tell us where the inspiration came from?” asked the MC portentously about the video and flavors. Strawberry and coconut, rather banally.
 
“I was thinking of a damsel and these beasts chasing her. She was so effervescent and unaware that they are trying to get to her Magnum!” cheered Scott.
 
“I don’t know whether they are actually eating me or the ice cream,” smiled Delevingne in a rare moment of humor.
 
Next, a slew of gender-transcending “Voguers” appeared in leotards and fishnet stockings performing to a soundtrack of Gypsy Woman by Crystal Water. Gyrating angrily they showed off a collection of shiny plasticized beach totes, featuring the images of the zoological “beasts” wearing trucker hats. Nearby, the ice cream trays melted throughout the steamy tent.
 
Scott first burst onto the fashion scene 20 years ago with some great edgy shows acclaimed for their beautifully absurdist mélange of popular culture and high fashion. His career since then has been erratic, though since joining Moschino as creative director, the American designer has staged some truly brilliant collections in Milan. His comic book cutout, Valley of The Dolls collection in September 2016 was widely seen as one of the three best shows in international calendar that season.
 
Delevingne is a great, gutsy model, who opens Chanel shows and has begun a fledgling career as an actress, showing real promise on the silver screen. Her father is a successful London real estate magnate.
 
Which is why seeing them sitting spouting inanities about ice cream colors was truly pathetic. Even if their contract must have been generous.
 
It’s true that Karl Lagerfeld endorsed Magnum several years ago, but the German designer had the good sense not to parade himself around a dingy beach club hawking the wares, like some itinerant peddler.
 
As they say in Mark 8:36: “For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul?” The world would be one thing – given the blurring of lines between fashion and commerce. But, Jeremy, to have put yourself out there for ice cream?