Jeremy Scott Didn’t Show This Fashion Month & He’s OK With That

Anyone who’s been religiously following fashion month has likely noticed one name markedly absent from lineups: Jeremy Scott. “It’s the first time in 27 years I have not had a show in September — for me or for another brand,” the designer tells Bustle.

Although the downtime rattled him initially, he knew he deserved the break. “I was like, ‘You know what, b*tch? You worked hard. You can take off a season,’” he says, adding, “Maybe it’s good for people to get nostalgic for a minute.”

And people certainly will. For 10 years, Scott has been at the helm of Moschino, responsible for some of the label’s buzziest runways. Examples include the SpongeBob SquarePants collection (Fall 2014), Barbie (Spring 2015), and an homage to ornate homeware (Fall 2022). He also mounts shows for his equally whimsical eponymous label.

While he didn’t show a collection this season, he definitely kept busy. On Sept. 9, Scott received the Fashion Visionary Award from the Daily Front Row, and during New York Fashion Week, he helped spotlight young designers by hosting the 16th annual Supima Design Competition for students around the country.

“I always really want to try to help champion young designers, [like] doing the show Making the Cut and trying to give a platform in that way,” he says.

Ahead, Scott discusses his most iconic Met Gala looks, his muse Gigi Hadid, and the best advice he received from Madonna.

You’ve designed over 50 Met Gala looks. Could you rank your top three?

Katy [Perry] and the chandelier is its own stellar, out-of-this-world thing. That one is definitely a favorite. And I would be remiss to not think of Madonna. It was such an amazing honor to have her twice as a date. The first time, Katy, her, and I did match with this graffiti moment. That would be another one of my favorites.

Which Met Gala look had the most surprising backstory?

The dress I did with Iris Law. I did this treatment in my own collection many years earlier of feathers covered by pieces of lace, and that’s how I created her gown. It was a very beautiful moment of going back into my own archives to do something new.

That’s one of my absolute favorite dresses, which is actually on display right now in England at Kensington Palace.

I want to touch on Bella Hadid’s Met Gala gown, with that massive butt cut-out.

I wanted to do something that really captured the drama of her natural physique. So thinking about these jewels drooping and creating straps and cut-outs, I just was like, “Let’s go for it.” Give her the stereotypical black bustier evening gown. But then go rad with the cut-outs and the jewels that give it that drama only she could deliver.

You’ve dressed practically everybody. Who was the most meaningful to you?

Madonna. Now, it’s [common] for pop stars who have openly gay friends to be very supportive, which is amazing. But [back then], it wasn’t. Madonna really shined a light on it, especially with her documentary Truth or Dare. She made me feel seen before we even used that term.

And when I would be persecuted for being different and gay in my small town growing up, I would think to myself, “One day I’m going to be friends with Madonna. They’ll see.” So she was my shield to prevent the barrage of physical and emotional hate that I would get.

So dressing her, it goes back to being a kid. It is a very healing situation. I can’t get past that. Even now, being friends with her, it’s still easy for me to tap right back into that emotion.

What was the biggest compliment or piece of advice Madonna has given you?

We’re both Leos and she once pointed out to me, “Do you realize how difficult it is for you to ask for help?” And I was like, “Oh, no, no, no, no.”

I didn’t realize it. I didn’t ever internalize being on an airplane and not wanting to ask the person next to me to move to let me go to the bathroom. I don’t want to ask for help of any sort. I will magically catapult over them to get to the aisle. It was like, “Oh, wow, you’re right. I have a huge problem with this.”

Do you have a favorite look or collection that you designed for Moschino?

I love all the collections. They’re all little moments. But I often come back to the paper dolls collection. There’s something about it that feels like a combination that is solely mine as an individual artist, because it’s about contrast.

It’s classic and beautiful, but it’s very avant-garde in theory. You usually don’t get avant-garde with pretty.

It’s only the front and the back is white — [because] the paper doll wouldn’t have [a] back, there’s these tabs. We started out with Gigi [Hadid] coming out with the full doll body, where you see the little underwear, and then we start dressing, building this model.

You’ve worked with Gigi a lot.

I’m [one of] the first designer[s] to put [her] on the runway. She started her career with me and my own collection in New York. And she not only was in majority of my Moschino shows, she was in a majority of my campaigns as well.

She’s one of the most perfect, versatile models. She can portray and capture so many different characters that I’ve created. And she’s able to do that and still magically remain her at the same time. That’s why she’s a star. Much [like] [Lady] Gaga or Rihanna.

I love that you give opportunities to people. Why do you think that is?

I don’t look for other people’s permission to be what I want to be. We all look for validation, it’s [a] human quality. But I look for it less. I’ve always been a rebel or an underdog.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.