The overusage of the letter “x” as fashion shorthand for “by” is beginning to irritate. The X-factors in Each x Other’s spring collection this season were Jefferson Hack and Robert Montgomery, who put their stamp on the lineup most obviously through slogan T-shirts. One read, “If you can’t afford it steal it;” another said “F-ck the System,” but the “F” and “U” were scratched over with an “H” and an “A.” How rebellious.
To be fair, the spring collection was an improvement over the fall offering, featuring a more distinct point of view with some romantic military and maiden references. There were shiny cropped officers jackets, white shirts wrapped with black lacing on the sleeves, and corsets with diagonal closures on the front fitted over novelty shirts. Otherwise, the lineup could be broken down into versions of the slipdress, moto jacket, bomber and deconstructed tailoring that are as ubiquitous in the contemporary market as an X marking the spot on a collaboration — aka, a branding partnership.
