Raf Simons – AW12/13 Style File
All it took of RAF SIMONS was to merely say ‘It’ll be extreme’ of his upcoming January 2012 collection. The phrase carried through the whole collection, presenting to all the exact reason why Simons stands as a pioneer in contemporary men’s’ fashion. The collection, as well as the designer himself, reiterated how it is essential that there is a motivation for clothes to speak, rather than the designer and his private life. Just like his inspirations, Margiela and Helmut Lang, Simons is knows for his dislike of publicity. A refreshing, and very much needed approach in today’s world.
Debuting his collection in 1995, Raf Simons has became a name synonymous with pushing boundaries with clothes and exploration with them. A constant juxtaposition of both youthfulness and maturity is present in his collections, making them wholly desirable and individual pieces.
The show’s title itself, ‘Run Fall Run’, carried great power itself; it was a verbal echo of not only the boy-ish playfulness that figures in the designer’s work, but more specifically of this time last year with the dramatic business termination with the brand and its manufacturers, Futurepresent, was announced. Three days before the show. A year later, and the collection was a celebration of the newly-free and independent designer showcasing pieces that stuck to his non-conformist yet equally desirable aesthetic approach to menswear.
The collection itself was a juxtaposition of traditional tailoring and streetstyle. Layering, notably with shirts, proved a favourite. A second lower-collared shirt over the first, more traditional one paved the idea that big shirts and big collars (and big attitude?) could be the next big thing. More collar-layering was present with shirts underneath beautiful Mark Rothko-inspired cashmere sweaters, an ode to Simons’ own passion for art (and perhaps Rothko’s own love for extremities).
On top of all this, the collection provided outerwear and suit cuts that were palpably non-conventional, yet traditional. Young and old, or rather, that very moment in-between youth and maturity that Simons’ loves to explore and capture. Drop-shouldered, oversized, loose coats were casually styled on top of beautiful double-breasted suits whilst the more street-wise, bomber-esque jackets injected hits of brightly detailed patterns into the collection. Adding to this of course, were the boy shorts, worn throughout the show and appearing in varieties of flannel, wool, ombre and cotton. Tight, above the knee with most room at the waist (so you can high-waist if so you wish) they were playful and served as subversive details against the regularity of the suit that featured on the other catwalks.
The show was a material manifestation of exactly this- a sense of energy and celebration, a fresh start that promised change, but leaving nothing behind. That is how the cult status is achieved, and how it is retained; an accumulated revolutionary stance that keeps on growing in talent and design. Quite right.
Check out the full collection over at Raf Simons
By Bojana Kozarevic
