Nordstrom just says no to drug-themed Moschino capsule

Jeremy Scott’s drug-themed capsule collection for Moschino is causing an uproar. The spring/summer 2017 dresses with capsule patterns (396 pounds, or $492 at current exchange), handbags shaped like prescription bottles (545 pounds, or $677), pill-covered clutches (462 pounds, or $574), and tops emblazoned with drug interaction warnings (594 pounds or $798), caught the attention of Randy Anderson, a men’s program counselor at Eden House Recovery Services in Minneapolis, who said he’s been clean since 2005.

Anderson, who took offense to the glamorization of drug addiction, started a petition on change.org, appealing to Saks Fifth Avenue chief executive officer Marc Metrick and Marcello Tassinari of Moschino to stop selling the collection. As of Friday evening, the petition had received 1,589 signatures. Saks did not respond to an e-mail request.

But Nordstrom, which also sold the capsule-themed collection online and in three stores decided to pull the items even though it apparently was not targeted by Anderson. “We appreciate all the constructive feedback we received from concerned customers and ultimately decided to remove the collection from our site and the three stores where we offered it,” a spokeswoman said.

Scott, no stranger to controversy, has flirted with other vices. His Moschino autumn/winter 2016 collection features cigarettes dancing on sweater dresses, a pack of matches skirt, cigarette carton-shaped backpacks, a Budweiser-like beer can, and the surgeon general’s tobacco warning writ large on a T-shirt dress.

“It would appear that you are unaware that our country is in the midst of a severe epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose deaths – acknowledged by the federal government as the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history,” Anderson said in his letter. “According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2014, 47,055 people died of an accidental drug overdose, with 29,467 of those from opioid-related drugs, which includes prescription pain medication and heroin. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in this country.”

The capsule has been widely seen on social media, including a photo of Bella Hadid holding the pill package iPhone case and Rihanna holding the pill bottle case. #JUSTSAYNOMOSCHINO explains that the capsule collection was “inspired by the packaging and instructionalinserts of over-the-counter medication, ‘prescribing’ fans a colorful selection of garments and accessories that reflect Jeremy Scott’s fun, provocative language.”