Alright, so this whole Moschino pronunciation thing. It’s one of those, isn’t it? You see the name, you think you’ve got it, and then you hear someone say it completely differently, and you’re left wondering if you’ve been making a fool of yourself. That was me, for a while, anyway.
I remember seeing the brand pop up more and more, especially those teddy bear designs. Kinda cool, a bit out there. But every time I saw M-O-S-C-H-I-N-O, my brain did a little stutter. My first go was probably something like “Mosh-CHEE-no.” Sounds about right for an English speaker looking at it, I guess. I even threw it out there in a conversation once, talking about some bag I saw. Pretty sure I got a blank stare, or maybe it was pity, I don’t know.
Then I thought, okay, maybe it’s more Italian-sounding, but my Italian is, well, non-existent beyond “pizza” and “pasta.” So, I asked a friend who’s generally more clued up on these fancy brands than I am. She hit me with a confident “Mo-SHEE-no.” Right. So now I had two versions. It’s like when you ask for directions and get two completely different routes. Who do you trust?
I even tried to subtly listen out for it in shops, you know, lurking around the expensive bits. Heard a sales assistant say it once, sounded a bit like “Moss-KEY-no” but super fast and I wasn’t entirely sure. It was becoming a proper little quest, this. You’d think it wouldn’t matter, but it’s like an itch you can’t scratch. I just wanted to know!
Figuring It Out, Finally
So, what did I do? I eventually caved and did what any modern person does when confused: I went looking online. Not for a definition, but for someone, anyone, actually saying the word. I stumbled across some interview with Jeremy Scott, who’s the creative director there. And then, bingo. He said it. And then I heard it in a few other clips, often from Italian speakers in fashion commentary.
And the penny dropped. It’s not “Mosh” or “Mo-shee” at all. That ‘sch’ in Italian typically makes a ‘sk’ sound, like in ‘school’ or ‘schedule’ (if you’re saying it the British way, ha!). And the ‘i’ is a clear ‘ee’ sound.
So, it’s basically: Mos-KEE-no.
- Mos – like the green stuff that grows on trees, but a bit quicker.
- KEE – like a key for a door.
- No – just plain old ‘no’.
Putting it all together: Mos-KEE-no. Emphasis kinda on the ‘KEE’ syllable.
It’s funny, the hoops you jump through for a brand name. But you know, it’s satisfying to finally get it straight. It’s not like it’s going to change the world, but at least now I don’t have that moment of hesitation. It’s just one less thing to feel a bit daft about. And trust me, there are plenty of other things in the world of high fashion that can make you feel daft, so getting a name right is a small win, I reckon.
