I ended up in a little gallery; they would sell something. He injected mens wear with cultish youth affiliations before anyone else was doing it, back in the mid-90s. Simons does it too. He has been cocreative director of the label since early 2020. He can wrap it up as he likes, and also unwrap it. But no fashion. A later collection, containing long white coats scribbled with graffiti, was inspired by similar garments sported during hazing rituals enacted at colleges in Belgium, like the one Simons attended in the late 80s. I once saw him walking around the Frieze art fair in London in his own little world, clutching a catalog, eager to buy. It was not only Raf Simons consumers shopping for them though. Maybe he felt that there was no way of topping that night? However, now Simons has elected to do so not through haute couture clothing for women, but through ready-to-wear garments for men. Hair by Odile Gilbert for Exposure NY. In the long run, it doesnt matter who does what first. He questions in conversation like he questions in his clothes. He had already begun to be enamored of the fashion world, after a friend, the designer Walter Van Beirendonck, took him to Paris to see the work of another young Belgian designer named Martin Margiela. Simons shared the unexpected news on Instagram, writing that his. Casavant said his doctor recently asked, during an appointment, if his teenage nephew could come to Casavants office and see his archive of Simonss clothing. Still, despite the shock which has greeted his announcement, lets not forget that its a move which is quite in character. What matters is how closely you observe things, or feel them, and have the nerve to act on themignoring the consensus. It wasnt the idea to start a mens collection, the idea was to start a collection. Collaborations are normally schlocky, one-season runs, resulting in graphics splattered across clothing and handbags, or spun out cheaply on T-shirts that have all the integrity of rock-band merch. On The Fashion Spots Community forum, a young Simons fan with the username tricotineacetat wrote in 2005before the release of Raf by Raf Simons but after the diffusion line was announcedthat this new line will be the more wearable, young wardrobe to build upon, and that the mainline will definitely gain from it and become more sophisticated. Simonss fans saw this as Simons giving them an opportunity to own a piece of his designs at a much lower price point. Raf Simons Antwerp SAMPLE Sale - Walter Van Beirendonck. In 2001, he created two collections whose models wrapped faces, layering, air of distress and rebellion reflected global upheaval: school shootings, guerrilla warfare, anticapitalist protests, the violence around the then-recent G8 summit in Genoa. Beautyblenders SkinTint, Youth to the Peoples Super Food Cleanser, and more. AsFashion Spot user Marquischacha wrote, The items dont look very special at all. The shoes that came out of those partnerships were designers sneakers instead of designer sneakers if that makes sense, explained Dwyer. The Jing Take: The growth of luxury athleisure collaborations has been well reflected in Raf Simons output with the leading sportswear name. Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. The epicenter of runway news, street style, and emerging trends. Quiet, simple notions, reiterated time and again. His apartment is one of those expected parquet-floored affairs with carved boiseries painted chalk-white, filled with contemporary art. Rumors abound that he may be headed to Calvin Klein next. Yet somehow this isnt the case; for, in the agreed-upon timeline in Simonss career exists a conspicuous discrepancya curious, gaping hole that goes by the name of Raf by Raf Simons. In a statement on Instagram, the creative visionary confirmed the closure, adding: I lack the words to share how proud I am of all that we have achieved. He then went on to thank his team, buyers, fans, friends, family, and collaborators. Photo Assistants: Nick Brinley, Maru Teppei and Henri De Carvalho. From Rihanna to Vic Mensa, Big Sean to ASAP Rocky, rappers love Raf Simons. He went from Jil Sander to Christian Dior to Calvin Klein to Prada in the space of eight years. . Was it inspiring to him to hear the way they talk? It wasnt there. When you start performing as the creative director of another brand, you realize how much its not . What does the sudden closure of Raf Simons mean for fashion now? [It was] all over the place. Such obscurity comes from the fact that womens wear outweighs mens wear in sales, column inches and sheer number of shows certainly not from Simonss lack of talent, or, indeed, lack of adulation from the appropriate quarters. Ive gotten an Alaia sweater for $300 and a never-produced Hood By Air jacket for $150, but these are the pieces that are most special to me. its my baby. Simons says. Raf Simons to Leave Christian Dior Couture - WSJ Simons had an immediate emotional connection. Why Are Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray Telling Us This? As Dwyer noted, Rafs contributions to sneaker collaboration were both deeply respectful and inherently free-spirited. Men, it is different, Simons says, of the industry, in comparison to womens wear. Art, and also fashion.. a flash of Ah! Raf Simons, The Label That Changed Fashion - The Cut The same vanishing act occurs in other creative fields, as the obituary in the Times for the great art director George Lois, who died last week, noted. . Raf Simons on life after Calvin Klein: 'I've never defined myself as a Photo: Jamie Stoker Quitting the stage at the top of your game is a move that becomes legends well. But. And I just thought How am I going to do this? There was no thinking time I had to create a company., Originally, Simons was to design the line with two female friends. I just wonder why more mens fashion cant push, and cant try to take the responsibility. "But what you read and what actually happened are not always the same thing," he says discreetly. Rachel Tashjian is the Fashion News Director at Harpers Bazaar, working across print and digital platforms. I could never take the attitude that this thing stands or falls with me. Raf Simons tunic tops from the Spring 2014 collection, when he went super pop and printed wavy, optimistic phrases that felt pulled from 1950s magazine ads onto polyester tunics and T-shirts. All Rights Reserved. Few in any sphererockstars, politicians, business people, or fashionever have the guts to do that. Our most popular articles you may have missed. Rafs whole brand [for a] very long time [was] just him and a couple assistants in a studio doing whatever [they wanted to do] and not being too serious about it. Seeming to reference the sort of fans like The Baron, he goes on, A lot of these kids try to be cool and pretend they know whats up and read way more into these types of things than actually was meant in any of it. Shes been quoted as saying he has a contract without end (which almost brings to mind the lifelong arrangement Karl Lagerfeld enjoyed with Fendi.) . He sells to a number of stores around the world, but the commercial impact of his line is second to its creative heft. 6.7K 228K views 1 year ago Raf Simons is one of the most influential designers in the history of fashion. Then in 2004, a friend of mine, the journalist Richard Buckley, told me, Go and look at Rafs early collections. I think he was dismayed by the navet of my mens coverage but was too nice to say so. I didnt really think it over but with my own brand, I have became very protective, almost. We are so far evolved . One could have even called Raf by Raf Simons his passion project. Production: Ragi Dholakia Productions. Courtesy Raf Simons Fashion people talk a lot about how great things used to be, especially in the '90s. Why is something this way? Its not for nothing, I think, that he signed off yesterdays instagram post with Forward always, Raf.. For Raf, there must be a brave satisfaction in being able to have sole control over drawing the line under his body of work, and sealing it for posterity. Prada SS21 30. Thank you all, for believing in our vision and for believing in me., Reached for comment, Simonss PR said the note on Instagram would be the only official communication about this move. Right now, on Chinese StockX Dewu, the original Ozweego by Raf Simons has outsold all styles, currently at 178,000 sales, almost 10 times the sales of Adidas solo design of the same silhouette. Many small and independent labels have faced severe economic headwinds, indeed a changed world, in the past decade. Its probably my all-time favorite Simons show, a master class in extreme tailoring and guys in pared-down black T-shirts and biker shorts. It wasnt so distant. Simons is wearing a cotton shirt, in thick drill like a workmans uniform. Its just grappling with these sorts of truths that Casavant seems unbothered bytruths that create an unexpected fissure in Simonss worshipped, pristine imagethats not so simple a task for some of his fans. . By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us. The latest Spring 23 collection will therefore be Raf Simons last. Being relevant has always been a touch-stone of authenticity in Rafs vocabularyrelevant to the times, and to the new ways of thinking generated by youth. My brand, yes, but Dior or Jil, no. This is just guessing, of course. Raf Simons' First Calvin Klein Show Was A Star-Spangled Hit. Raf Simons | Biography & Facts | Britannica Our Event Calendar has you covered. Even if his impact isnt perceived, its there. Theyve influenced entire generations of designers that have followed him, and changed the way his forerunners do their jobs today. Not really. When he was poached by Dior in 2012, his first collection featured a chin silk dress woven not with traditional Dior fleurs, but a couture rendition of a spray-painted work by his close friend, the California-based artist Sterling Ruby. Simons shocked the fashion industry yesterday when he announced that his brand, which he launched 27 years ago, would shutter. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The Picasso ceramics, for instance, inspired the penultimate womens wear collection of his tenure at Jil Sander, where Simons worked for seven years, designing the mens and womens lines. . When I showed it to Linda, she sent me to this agent. Then, after three and a half years, he was gone. He isnt telling us what happened at any point in his life, but articulating how he felt, and trying to make us feel the same. The designer pushes constantly against the mores of the industry. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Sidney Toledano, the chief executive officer of the Paris fashion house, made the announcement today in a statement. It would be great if we could become bigger. Then they give it a twist, with styling. Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. And while its not known if that was a factor Simons was unavailable for further comment Monday it may have been a consideration. Such is the magic of the chilly, intense, and appealingly raw Raf Simons brand. . It's a first thought that reverberates with the very recent memory of seeing Raf Simons dive from his bar-runway into an adulating crowd of fans at his warehouse rave-show in London on October 13. You see Raf Simons right there And that damage may very well have been enough to propel any Simons enthusiast into a state of denialwhich may, in turn, help explain the indeterminate timeline of Raf by Raf Simons and the line that replaced it. All rights reserved. By Louis Staples how i get it done 7:00 a.m. How Media Mogul Mo Abudu Gets It Done She's been described as "Africa's most successful woman," "one of the most powerful women in global television," and "the African Oprah." sex diaries Yesterday at 8:00 p.m. I was not obsessed with clothes, at all, Simons says. I remember the specific thrill at the finds, and the excitement I felt at owning these pieces of menswear history that might be recognizable only to the very few. Beautifully executed. Ditto model Jacob Bird, whos written countless articles for Dazed and i-D and has walked the runway for Raf Simons. Raf Simons Closes His Influential Menswear Label - The Cut The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. After they dropped out, he concentrated on mens wear. Elegant, and beautiful, and modern, sometimes. This week, Raf Simons announced he will end his label after 27 years; his spring 2023 collection will be the last. Its like fashions biggest blind spot. His clothes speak of the disenfranchised masses, of youthful disquiet, of the turmoil of the outer world. He is also the cocreative director, with Miuccia Prada, of Prada, and their collections have not only lifted the fortunes of the Milan-based luxury giant but also helped to set the tone for the industry. Raf Simons to close fashion label after nearly three decades Without doubt, the final Raf Simons collection (should it be delivered) will be stripped from stores, and the resale value of anything with his name on itwhich has always been highwill have skyrocketed overnight. Fans are speculating that beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueiras wedding was one big branded-content deal. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Of the many things that have remained consistent about Simons over the years, one is that ability to look at things closely and analyze them. I instantly had a very strong attraction to art. One can imagine, then, the disappointment they must have felt when the line was finally released and the designs were conspicuously basic and unexceptional, falling prey to the shoddiness that defines any old random diffusion line. He means Dior. By 2015, all the most esteemed luxury houses were producing their own chunky runner silhouettes, attesting to the collabs bankability. Back on TheFashion Spot forums, another user called The Baron showed just how far Raf fans are willing to look into his work in order to convince themselves that hes the man they want him to be. But I couldnt live from it. You could really work your ass off, really bring a lot of your own thing, but its not the same thing. It isnt autobiographical. Theyre examples of designers whose bodies of work have only ever grown more revered since they stoppedalso at the top of their games. Even the prices were a letdown; according to Fashion Spot user faust, a pair of Raf by Raf jeans cost $330, despite being exact replicas of the main line jeans hes done before that cost $195.. No. The pace, the relentless cycle of seasons, the built-in obsolescence. Fashion icon Raf Simons shutters his influential label | CNN For his fall 1997 runway show, he dressed models as Kraftwerk and played their music as the soundtrack. . I was just doing., THE EVENING IS ROLLING IN, and the broad windows of Simonss apartment are dark. Raf Simons was independent. . As Michael Kardamakis, the owner of ENDYMAa massive archive of some of the rarest Simons, Helmut Lang, and Burberry pieceswho has a deep knowledge of Simons told me, the quality of Raf by Raf Simons got even worse in 2008 and 2009, when they released really bad jeans, scarves, and knits. It was really absurd, he murmured. Raf Simons stunned the industry today when he announced on his namesake label's official Instagram account that the spring 2023 collection would be its final season. Hes made his audience stand as his models walk by. No. Digital Operator: Nico Fallet. People did pay above the average price of an Adidas for each style yet prices were generally accessible, with a pair of Raf Simons slides going for $130 (930 RMB), which is $95 (679 RMB) more than the classics. It's the . The show, staged during Londons Frieze Art Fair, turned into a rave after the last model took their turn on the catwalk. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Classic Double Breasted Alpaca & Wool Coat (60% off) 60% off. Japanese clients. Sign up for our daily newsletter to unpack the business of luxury in China. It's the first seasonmaybe I should say seasonsand I know exactly how that goes. Gain insights, analysis, and breaking news from our on-the-ground reporters. An old house, filled with something new. It took me a long while to understand what made his vision so particular. The World (and Future) of Raf Simons - The New York Times Its too early to predict whether this means that these sneakers are going to reach high price premiums, though it is highly likely. As of 1 April 2020, he is the co-creative director of Prada, in partnership with Miuccia Prada. All rights reserved. Simons frequently wears the clothes he designs, such as this coat from his Sterling Ruby collaboration. It seems the actual life of Raf by Raf Simonsthe story of the diffusion lines conception and closingis, in fact, rather simple.