The revival of ’90s trends shows no sign of waning, and now fashion lovers are turning to one of the era’s television style icons for inspiration. No, it’s not Carrie Bradshaw. Fran Fine, from The Nanny — aka, “the flashy girl from Flushing” — was known for her eccentric and fearless personal style, and her exuberant wardrobe is at the center of a new wave of sartorial interest.
A corner of TikTok is dedicated to reminiscing about the colorful ensembles worn by Fine, portrayed by Fran Drescher. The Instagram account WhatFranWore has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, while the online Fran Fine Database even catalogues her outfits and favorite designers, which include Dolce & Gabbana, John Galliano, Stephen Sprouse and Thierry Mugler. But of all the fashion greats of the day, no designer had a greater hold on the nanny’s heart than Moschino. In hindsight, it’s hard to believe that this Moschino Couture Survival jacket from 1994 never found its way into Ms. Fine’s overflowing closet.
The sharply tailored safari-style jacket, offered by Oh! Jackie on 1stDibs, is equipped with everything a beauty maven might need for survival in an urban jungle, including a hairbrush, a nail file and a double-sided mirror on a chain. All the original tools are intact — a major coup for collectors, as at least some of these removable components are often missing when the design appears on the vintage market. With its slim silhouette, peak lapel and gold buttons, the jacket, crafted from structured cotton twill, is classically elegant, while Moschino’s delightful sense of humor is conveyed through the contents of the exterior pockets — and the fact that “Survival Jacket” is emblazoned across the back in stencil-style lettering.
The Italian houses’s modern cult following is due in large part to the bold, campy designs produced by creative director Jeremy Scott from 2013 to 2023. But his whimsical output embodied the playful spirit embedded in the brand’s DNA by its founder, who died in 1994. “Franco Moschino was often referred to as Italian fashion’s enfant terrible,” says Elisabeth Gerhold, founder of Oh! Jackie. “He was known for his tongue-in-cheek, humorous and highly provocative creations, criticizing the industry in which he worked.
“The Survival jacket is undoubtedly one of Franco Moschino’s most iconic designs,” she adds. “It captures the fun vibe that Moschino has always represented as a brand, and it is held in numerous museum collections for this reason.”
While prestigious institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art may have the Survival jacket in their collections, this particular piece seems destined for the closet of a connoisseur of vibrant, funky fashion. With its quirky appeal and feminine edge, it’s a Fine choice, indeed.
