Yesterday, I was in such a color coded mood. My outfit was a black & red Stax hoodie, black Nike baggy sweatpants, Air Jordan 1 Lows in White, and a BK Nets Cap to the back. To top it all off, I wore a classic Mossimo Supply Mens Button Down Red/black Plaid Flannel over the hoodie. What was insane to me, is how incredibly rare and vintage Mossimo clothing is now. How did a brand so cool in my childhood become nearly forgotten.
Founded in 1986, by designer Mossimo Giannulli, the company soared through the heights as a sportswear and accessory driven brand. It established massive success in the 90s when it expanded to sweatshirts and sweaters. In 2000, A 27.8 million deal between the brand and Target gave it a 2nd life as a cool, masculine product. In 2006, Mossimo would later be acquired by Iconix Brand group where it remains to this day.
Yet something shocking happened. 5 years ago, on this date – Target announced that they would be distancing itself from Mossimo. This is after its founder and his wife, Lori Loughlin (Full House fame) were linked to a college admission cheating scandal. Interesting timing, considering Target was already phasing out Mossimo by 2017 due to declining interest. So, this incident was the icing on the cake.
It sucks due to how infatuated I was with the brand since childhood. I can admit that I still wear notable Mossimo clothing proudly to this day. This past summer, I recently wore a classic Mossimo purple & grey striped t-shirt with grey-white dress shorts and Nike Ebernon Low Cement White shoes. It’s horrible to see a brand that I cherish lose its appeal. I pray that there will be a revival of Mossimo in the future. Otherwise, I might have to look for remnants on Amazon or Ebay if I’m lucky.
