Moschino pill-themed fashion collection slated for 'glamorising addiction'

Luxury Italian designer label Moschino has come under fire for its SS17 capsule collection, which debuted during Milan Fashion Week.

The see now, buy now capsule collection, called “Just say MoschiNO” featured an arsenal of pill-themed items, from pill-print dresses and sweaters to a handbag that took the form of a prescription bottle.

From his McDonalds inspired collection Autumn/Winter collection in 2014, to his cigarette-packet iPhone cases this February, the cult-favourite, maximalist designer, Jeremy Scott, has never shied away from making provocative and controversial statements.

“I always say, fashion is the only drug I do,” Scott explained . 'If my shows can give you that feeling of awe and joy again, that's my gift. That's what I'm passing on to you.”

The fashion world has merely winked at the drug reference, passing it off as the usual soupçon of Scott.

However, it seems others are less convinced by Scott's innocence, and have argued that the collection is insensitive, and glamorises pill-popping amidst the wide-scale opioid epidemic, which is thought to have killed more than 28,000 people in the US in 2014.

A petition is now being circulated on change.org asking retail giant Saks Fifth Avenue to remove the collection from its department stores. It was created by Randy Anderson, a drug and alcohol counselor from Minneopolis, and currently stands at 1,647 supporters.

'Have you not seen the countless number of media reports on overdose deaths from prescription pain medication, including the rock and roll icon Prince?' Do you have no moral responsibility in what type of products your company promotes for public use?' the petition reads.

However a spokesperson for Moschino has stated that the capsule collection was 'inspired by a play on the word 'capsule' translated literally as a collection of 'capsule-themed' products and that 'there was never any intent to promote prescription drug abuse.'

The department store Nordstrom has been the first to remove this collection from three of its stores, in response to these complaints.

It seems this might be one Scott stunt too far.

*Sara Semic writes for ElleUK.com.