Mossi RTW Spring 2023
Paris refuse collectors got their moment at Paris Fashion Week thanks to Mossi Traoré, who paid tribute to his father, who spent his entire career in the job. It was a form of social commentary and esthetically, a surprising and completely new direction for the philanthropically minded designer, who hails from a gritty Paris suburb he has made it his mission to support.
His previous collections offered up an arty, architectural esthetic inspired by couture. Here was a distinct urban stamp informed by the green uniforms prevalent on every street in the city. Overalls in that bright shade were spliced with a zip-up T-shirt, the tops of the pants placed to accentuate the hips. There was also a sharp tailored suit in the same hue.
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Crinkled technical fabrics nodded to black garbage bags (and Issey Miyake, one of Traoré’s idols) on cleverly shaped dresses while wide flared jeans, while simple oversized tees were given reflective stripe details.
Labels tacked on the clothes touted a partnership with “Le Grand Paris,” the official name for the Greater Paris region and a major urban development project with aims including improving conditions for people living beyond the Périphérique.
Sharing the limelight at his presentation was a certain Ludovic, a binman working in central Paris who has garnered nearly 286,000 followers on TikTok under Ludovicf_off with his fun videos educating people about litter and recycling.
“I wanted to work with people who are inspirational, who have real influence with their mindset and actions, not just ‘influencers’ famous for their look,” said Traoré.
“Fashion needs to be a moment for designers, rather than influencers, once more.” The message was crystal clear. The esthetics, meanwhile, were in line with some of fashion’s most viral moments of the week.
Launch Gallery: Mossi RTW Spring 2023