1. Early life and education
Jeremy Scott's formative years in the American Midwest and his academic pursuits laid the groundwork for his future in the fashion industry, fostering an early passion for design and a determination to pursue it against conventional norms.
1.1. Childhood and formative years
Scott was born in 1975 in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He spent parts of his childhood on a farm in Lowry City, Missouri, and in a suburb outside Kansas City. From a young age, Scott demonstrated a keen interest in fashion. By the age of 14, he began studying French and took night courses in Japanese, driven by his ambition to become a fashion designer. During his high school years, he would sketch fashion designs in his notebooks. His unique dressing style led to him being bullied by peers. He discovered runway fashion through Details magazine, looking up to influential designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Martin Margiela, Thierry Mugler, and Franco Moschino as his role models.
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1.2. Academic background
In 1992, Scott moved to New York City to enroll in fashion design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, one of the city's prominent Art and Design colleges. During his time at Pratt, he experimented with unconventional attire, including sci-fi-inspired clothing, "1880s vs 1980s" fusion outfits, and garments designed to appear shredded and decaying. While pursuing his studies, Scott gained early exposure to the fashion industry through an internship at the New York offices of Aeffe, the company that owns Moschino.
2. Career
Jeremy Scott's career is marked by the launch of his daring independent label, impactful collaborations, and a transformative leadership role at a renowned fashion house, all of which contributed to his unique standing in the global fashion scene.
2.1. Debut and independent label in Paris
After graduating in 1996, Scott relocated to Paris, France. During this period, he faced significant financial hardship, resorting to scrounging for meals and occasionally sleeping in the Paris Métro. His fortunes began to shift when he encountered a public relations professional for Jean Paul Gaultier who admired his self-cut hair (a practice Scott had maintained since age five), leading to a job promoting parties at a nightclub. Despite the initial struggles to secure a fashion industry job, Scott decided to establish his own brand.
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In 1997, the Jeremy Scott brand made its debut in a bar near Place de la Bastille. His inaugural show was inspired by J. G. Ballard's novel Crash and the subsequent David Cronenberg film Crash, utilizing mostly paper hospital gowns for the collection. For his subsequent show, Scott incorporated fabric scraps from the Porte de Clignancourt flea market that resembled garbage bags, crafting an all-black collection described by Scott as "Blade Runner, trash bags and the apocalypse." This collection later gained exhibition at the influential Parisian boutique Colette, which has since consistently featured Jeremy Scott's designs.
His third collection, presented entirely in white, achieved critical acclaim, earning awards and attracting the attention of prominent figures such as Mario Testino and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, the editor of Vogue Paris and a renowned French stylist and art director, respectively. The white show marked the runway debut of Devon Aoki, who was only 13 years old at the time and would later become a supermodel. Two decades later, Scott and Aoki would reunite for his Autumn/Winter 2016 campaign. The Icelandic singer Björk was an early admirer of Scott's work, wearing an angel dress from the white collection for her Homogenic world tour; Scott would go on to provide costumes for several of her subsequent tours.
In the same year, Scott presented a collection inspired by 1980s decadence, featuring elements like sable, prominent shoulder pads, voluminous hair, and gold lamé, potentially marking him as one of the first designers to revive the eighties aesthetic. Christian Louboutin designed the models' distinctive unbalanced heels for this show. In stark contrast to the prevailing minimalism of the era, the collection received harsh criticism from publications like Vogue. Scott himself regards this "gold show" as one of the most challenging moments of his career.
His 1998 spring collection, titled "Duty Free Glamour," showcased looks inspired by flight attendants and khaki jackets adorned with logos. Writing for The Times, fashion critic Cathy Horyn highlighted Scott's original use of his Midwestern background as a creative counterpoint to jet set glamour. Notably, Karl Lagerfeld once stated that Scott was the only designer working in fashion who could potentially succeed him at Chanel. In 2001, Scott made the surprising decision to move his base from Paris to Los Angeles, a city not yet recognized as a major fashion capital at the time.
2.2. Collaboration with Adidas Originals
Despite establishing himself as a cult label with dedicated fans, particularly in Asia, Jeremy Scott remained on the periphery of the mainstream fashion establishment, often perceived as neither "serious" nor "commercial." His rebellious stance was evident in his shows; in 2001, he concluded a show by scattering fake banknotes featuring his likeness into the audience, and at another, he famously declared, "Vive l'avant-garde!" while leaving yellow T-shirts with the same message on every seat.
His extensive and notable partnership with Adidas began in 2002 with the "!Signed" project. For this, Scott designed a silk jacquard fabric featuring scattered money motifs, with his own image replacing that of George Washington. This design was applied to the classic Adidas high-top model, the Forum, and the shoes were meticulously handmade at the Adidas factory in Scheinfeld, Germany. Only 100 pairs were produced, equally split between Scott and Adidas. Scott revisited this design with the Money Wings 2.0 in the Fall/Winter 2013 collection.
However, his most widely recognized collaboration with Adidas Originals commenced in 2008, when the brand launched a collection of footwear and apparel that included the iconic JS Wings (high-tops adorned with wings) and JS Bears (furry sneakers featuring teddy bear heads). These distinctive sneakers, with early endorsements from rappers like Lil Wayne, significantly broadened Scott's mass appeal and are considered "some of the most eye-catching sneakers ever seen," leaving "an indisputable imprint on the shoe landscape." Over the years, his signature wing motif graced numerous Adidas shoe silhouettes. He also extended this design to other products for various clients, including Smart cars and baby prams by Cybex.
In 2011, Scott collaborated with Swatch, creating three watch designs that were lauded for bringing back Swatch's "uber-fun Eighties roots" through Scott's "pop aesthetic, fun twist and overstated form." In 2012, Scott also starred in Adidas's print and video campaign alongside Nicki Minaj, Sky Ferreira, and the Korean girl group 2NE1. Notably, the dancers for Madonna's 2012 Super Bowl halftime show performance wore Jeremy Scott tracksuits designed for Adidas Originals.
His Fall 2012 collection embraced 1990s nostalgia, featuring various computer references such as printed gloved-hand cursors and images reminiscent of 1990s-era Mac screenshots. He concluded a show with an homage to Lisa Frank, presenting a vacuum-formed plexiglass bustier meticulously encrusted with hundreds of Frank stickers. Furthermore, in the 2016 film Suicide Squad, the character Harley Quinn was depicted wearing high-top heels from Jeremy Scott's 2014 collaboration with Adidas.
2.3. Creative Director at Moschino
In October 2013, Jeremy Scott was appointed creative director of the Italian luxury fashion house Moschino. He accepted this position after declining several other offers, drawn to Moschino due to its similarly irreverent approach and its founder Franco Moschino's view of fashion as a form of protest.
Scott's first Moschino collection debuted in Fall 2014, following his redesign of the entire Pre-Fall collection. He reinterpreted the signature playful fashion gags of Franco Moschino, such as designs incorporating rubbish bags, witty slogans, and beefeater hats, through an distinctly American perspective. This resulted in iconic pieces like McDonald's-themed handbags, popcorn dresses, ballgowns adorned with nutrition labels, and SpongeBob SquarePants fur coats. An example of his design approach was a red and bright yellow vis-a-vis jacket, evoking McDonald's colors, paired with a matching quilted leather handbag featuring a golden "M" shaped like a heart. His inaugural Moschino fragrance, Moschino Toy, came in a bottle designed to resemble a teddy bear, with the spray nozzle discreetly placed beneath its head.
In his 2015 manifesto published in The Guardian, Scott articulated his philosophy regarding American consumer culture, stating that "An image of Mickey Mouse is understood in Mumbai, Timbuktu and Los Angeles in the same way. It's a clear message even if you subvert it by, say, putting Mickey ears on an army helmet (as I did in 2007)... A lot of my collections are informed by nostalgia." His fashion often incorporates humor; a 2016 show, for instance, featured a handbag designed to look like a box of Marlboro Reds cigarettes, complete with the ironic warning Fashion Kills.
His Moschino Fall/Winter 2016 collection drew inspiration from the Florentine Bonfire of the Vanities of 1497. The collection showcased dresses embellished with shards of mirrors, elements resembling a fallen grand chandelier, and even the internal components of a destroyed grand piano. In a technical innovation for a runway show, some dresses were followed by trails of smoke, produced by integrated smoke machines within the garments. Simultaneously, the Fall 2016 collection for his personal brand in New York featured whimsical designs such as Max Headroom and rockabilly guitar prints, glamorous high-heeled cowboy boots, and cow-print denim. This collection was aptly named "Cowboys and Poodles," after a vintage store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles that played a pivotal role in introducing 1950s rockabilly culture to 1980s punks.
Scott also created a television commercial for the Moschino Barbie doll, which he both wrote and art-directed. Modeled after toy commercials from the 1980s and 1990s, the advertisement garnered significant attention for being the first Barbie commercial to feature a boy. For the Moschino Spring/Summer 2017 collection, Scott explored the internet generation's preoccupation with 2D screens. He masterfully employed trompe-l'œil techniques to render Moschino's signature gold accessories, leather jackets, and oversized branding in a two-dimensional format, including life-sized pull tabs and seemingly stuck-on accessories reminiscent of old paper dolls.
Jeremy Scott is widely credited with successfully revitalizing the Moschino brand, substantially boosting its sales, and transforming it into a highly favored label among consumers and fashion enthusiasts. On March 20, 2023, he publicly announced his departure from the Creative Director position at Moschino.
2.4. Work with other brands
Beyond his own label and Moschino, Jeremy Scott has extended his design influence through strategic collaborations with other notable brands. In 2006, he initiated an ongoing partnership with the French leather-goods company Longchamp, producing bags that are frequently given to front-row guests at his fashion shows. His 2011 collaboration with Swatch resulted in three distinct watch designs, celebrated for their ability to transport Swatch back to its "uber-fun Eighties roots" through Scott's characteristic "pop aesthetic, fun twist and overstated form."
3. Influence and public image
Jeremy Scott's unique design philosophy and strong presence have made him a significant figure in both fashion and popular culture, fostering extensive collaborations with celebrities and leaving a lasting mark on contemporary style.
3.1. Collaborations with celebrities and entertainment
A pivotal aspect of Scott's career has been his extensive work outfitting prominent show business celebrities, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Nicki Minaj. Some celebrities, such as Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and CL from the South Korean girl group 2NE1, have collaborated with him so frequently that they have been affectionately dubbed "the Jezza posse." Scott describes his engagement with celebrities by stating, "I understand the language of pop culture, and these people are totems of pop culture."
In January 2015, Scott designed the costumes for Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX Half Time show performance. Perry subsequently featured his custom bustier on the cover of Rolling Stone. Scott and Perry's collaboration dates back a decade prior to this, predating the release of Perry's first album. Rihanna wore a Jeremy Scott denim bra top and circle skirt in her "We Found Love" music video. Scott also created the retro-futuristic stewardess dress worn by Britney Spears in her "Toxic" music video and designed Lady Gaga's outfit for her "Paparazzi" music video.
At the 2015 Met Gala (The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Anna Wintour Costume Center gala), Scott notably dressed both Katy Perry and Madonna, whom he regards as the quintessential music and fashion icon. For the 2016 Met Gala, his designs were seen on Nicki Minaj and Demi Lovato.
Beyond human celebrities, Scott has also dressed The Muppets' Miss Piggy for a photoshoot with Kermit the Frog (portraying Andy Warhol). He has styled Miss Piggy on multiple occasions, including her front-row appearance at his fashion show and for The Muppets world premiere. In 2015, as the creative director for the MTV Video Music Awards, Scott took on the task of redesigning the iconic Moonman statuette. He also made an appearance as himself in the TV soap opera The Young and the Restless in 2010. Furthermore, he appeared in 2NE1 TV Season 2, a reality show documenting the lives of the K-pop group 2NE1, alongside Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. In November 2010, Scott attended the O'live OnStyle Style Icon Awards to present an award to 2NE1, recognizing them as the most stylish female group.
3.2. Impact on fashion and popular culture
Jeremy Scott has been likened to the fashion equivalent of Andy Warhol for his embrace of pop culture and his ability to elevate everyday motifs into high fashion. His approach challenges conventional notions of taste and luxury, often incorporating humorous and subversive elements that resonate broadly. His designs have been prominently featured in significant exhibitions, such as The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined, a British exhibition exploring different concepts of vulgarity. This exhibition showcased Scott's sweet wrapper-themed dresses alongside Warhol's Souper Dress in the "Too Popular" section, underscoring his contribution to the Pop art movement within fashion. His work consistently influences contemporary fashion trends, particularly in the realm of streetwear and celebrity style, democratizing fashion by making it more playful and accessible to a wider audience.
4. Controversies and criticisms
Throughout his career, Jeremy Scott's designs have occasionally drawn public scrutiny and controversy, primarily stemming from allegations of cultural insensitivity and intellectual property infringement.
4.1. "Shackle" sneakers controversy
In June 2012, Adidas made the decision to cancel the release of a pair of sneakers designed by Jeremy Scott, known as the JS Roundhouse Mids. This decision followed widespread public criticism of the sneakers' design, which featured bright yellow handcuffs. Many perceived these handcuffs as "shackles," drawing offensive allusions to slavery. Scott publicly denied that the shoes had any connection to slavery, clarifying that the design was intended as a reference to the popular children's toy My Pet Monster. Despite his explanation, Adidas proceeded with the cancellation of the product's sale due to the outcry.
4.2. Plagiarism allegations
Jeremy Scott has faced allegations of plagiarism concerning his designs on more than one occasion. In February 2013, he was accused of plagiarizing designs from Santa Cruz Skateboards. Santa Cruz Skateboards confirmed that designs by artist Jim Phillips and his son Jimbo Phillips were allegedly copied by Scott. A settlement was reached between Santa Cruz and Scott, leading to Scott ceasing production of the disputed collection. In August 2015, Scott and Moschino were sued for copyright infringement related to the Moschino Fall/Winter 2015 clothing line. The complaint alleged that garments in the collection included "literal copies" of a plaintiff's graffiti artwork. This lawsuit was also resolved through an out-of-court settlement.
5. Film and media appearances
Jeremy Scott's life and career have been documented in a feature film, providing a closer look into his journey and creative process, alongside other notable media features.
5.1. "Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer"
Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer is a 2015 documentary film directed by Vlad Yudin. The film details Scott's life and his ascent within the fashion industry. It was released on September 18, 2015, and features appearances by numerous celebrities with whom Scott has collaborated, including Katy Perry, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora, Paris Hilton, ASAP Rocky, and CL from 2NE1.
5.2. Other media appearances
Beyond his documentary, Scott has been featured in various other media. As mentioned, he appeared as himself in an episode of the soap opera The Young and the Restless in 2010. He also featured in 2NE1 TV Season 2, a reality program, alongside artist Will.i.am. In 2010, Scott attended the O'live OnStyle Style Icon Awards to present an award to the K-pop group 2NE1, highlighting his connections within the global entertainment industry.
6. Awards and honors
Jeremy Scott has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, recognizing his impact and innovation in the fashion world.
He won the ANDAM Fashion Award in 2000. In 2015, he was honored with the Womenswear Designer of the Year award at the Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards. Scott also received the Venus de la Mode award for best new designer for his second and third collections in 1998 and 1999, respectively. He was nominated for Best Young Designer of 1999 by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Scott was invited as the featured Guest Designer at the 88th Pitti Uomo, Florence, Italy's premier bi-annual menswear trade show, a significant recognition in menswear fashion. His iconic Adidas sneakers were showcased in the "The Rise of Sneaker Culture" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, acknowledging their cultural and design significance. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of his debut, Scott agreed to hold a retrospective exhibition of his fashions at the Dallas Contemporary museum in 2017.
7. Personal life
Jeremy Scott maintains a relatively public profile concerning aspects of his personal life, including his family background, residences, and identity. His parents are Jim, an engineer, and Sandy, a teacher. He has two older siblings, Barbara, who is a lawyer, and James. Members of his family have consistently attended almost every one of his fashion shows, demonstrating their support.
Scott owns two notable homes designed by the celebrated architect John Lautner: the Foster-Carling House (built in 1947) located in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, and the iconic Elrod House (built in 1969) in Palm Springs, California. He is a vegetarian. Jeremy Scott is gay and has been open about his sexual identity since the age of 14.
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