It was extra-unfortunate that the branding of Dash—the Italian detergent that Au Jour Le Jour signed a deal with to sponsor this show, and whose logos were incorporated into the collection—was so deeply reminiscent of Fresh, the new fragrance launched at Moschino on Thursday. Moschino has long been the don of ironic, Pop Art appropriation of mass-branding into high fashion, and although the AJLJ efforts to service its sponsors (logoed boots, a finely produced knit miniskirt and shirt, and some spangly slip dresses) were cute, the advertorial nature of the exercise undermined it. The point of Moschino, for house founder Franco and current designer Jeremy Scott, presumably was and is designing clothes to say something, not just get paid.
Still, the collection was lively. The schtick, consistent with the sponsor (Dash!) was stains. So sequined jeans, vests, and black suede boots appeared splattered by scarlet ketchup. An opening section of sixties-eque mock croc color-blocked tartan suits and shifts worn over organza shirts were prettily polluted by more sequin stains of coffee and blood. Splodges were turned into camouflage, oozing contra-colored gloop ran down in panels on more colored faux croc and enamel stains were dripped onto paillette minis. As street style fare this was good fun, but the biggest stain in a collection full of them was that overly articulated commercial transaction.
