Closing tonight with this fabulous circa 1991 framed shopping bag, a brilliant combination of pop culture, fashion history, Italian pizza & controversy. Printed with a graphic piece of art by Italian fashion designer Franco Moschino (Feb.1950- Sept.1994) it was designed for Bloomingdales “Tempo d’Italia." The graphics & colours are fabulous. The quote is brilliant for in what else may we trust these days other than pizza. The Italian government though found the line irreverent. The use of the Italian flags colour scheme within the graphics & the suggestion of a scantily clad human wearing a beribboned headdress may have further added to their objection. The bag was quietly pulled. Today, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum has one of these bags within their collection.
The bag is preserved within an acrylic frame box. I'd like to see it framed centered within a slightly larger frame accented by a slim black or red border. Rare to come by and a special piece with superb graphics. The back of the bag has an image of a woman eating pasta, the base text "Bloomingdales Design & Concept Franco Moschino." "Some natural folds to the bag. The base of the existing acrylic box frame has a piece missing. (See pic) The bag measures 20"h (with handle) x 12"w. The acrylic box frame measures 20 1/4" x 16."
Tempo d’Italia."was Bloomingdales largest import promotion with $100 million worth of merchandise which opened at all 15 Bloomingdale’s stores on September 11th 1991. The promotion included a film done in the style of Fellini which noted the names of the designers involved including Franco Moschino.