Courtesy of Raf Simons
After having to reschedule his hotly anticipated show due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death, legendary Belgium designer Raf Simons presented his latest collection at London’s nightclub venue, Printworks. There was thumping electronic music by DJ Clara 3000 and several fashion design students in attendance. Below, everything you need to know about the buzzy spectacle, especially after Simons announced that this will be the last for the Raf Simons label.
Courtesy of Raf Simons1/5It was the brand’s first time showing outside Paris
Typically a mainstay on the Paris Fashion Week schedule, Raf Simons brought his show to London for the first time. After a visit to Frieze last year, the designer felt compelled to celebrate the UK capital’s rich underground culture, which is in line with his brand’s own ethos. The designer—who’s been behind some of fashion’s most progressive aesthetic movements thanks to tenures at Jil Sander, Dior, Calvin Klein, and now Prada—has a dedicated following. It was, arguably, the most exciting runway spectacle to happen in London this season.
Courtesy of Raf Simons2/5The show took place during Frieze week at a rave venue
Numerous notable fashion figures, members of the art world, and university students attended the event, which was held at Printworks, an industrial rave venue in southeast London that was formerly an Evening Standard printing mill. There were no front-row seats in sight, as Pierpaolo Piccioli rubbed shoulders with second-year Central Saint Martins students. Charles Jeffrey, Emma Chopova, Laura Lowena-Irons of Chopova Lowena, and Jordan Bowen and Luca Marchetto of Jordanluca also turned out to show their support. The music shifted gear when the raised bar lining the whole length of the main room became a runway.
Courtesy of Raf Simons3/5It was a sensual, minimalist collection that had surprising elements
Despite the choice of venue, and the raucous crowds, the collection was one of Simons’s most pared back yet. There were elegant, minimalist pieces, such as black silk and neon leather shift dresses that featured triangular cut-outs on the back and dropped waist belts. Rompers, for both men and women, appeared in an array of iterations and sprightly shades—from olive sheer gauze knits and blue cotton poplin shirting, to long-sleeve cardigan hybrids that buttoned up underneath the crotch. Outerwear included sleeveless tailored jackets in wool, double-breasted coats, blazers with exaggerated shoulder pads, and oversized leather jackets that billowed in motion. It wouldn’t be a Raf Simons collection without an artistic collaboration—this time, the designer joined forces on the text-heavy prints with the estate of esteemed late Belgian painter Philippe Vandenberg.
Courtesy of Raf Simons4/5The devil is in the (accessory) details
Yes, Simons might be a master of tailoring and knitwear, but his ability to deliver on hero accessories warrants just as much praise. There were netting paneled shoppers in leather and vinyl with hardware details that emulated piercings, oversized canvas totes that were slung over the shoulder or rolled up into pochettes (remember the Jil Sander autumn/winter 2012 “paper” lunch bag?), and skinny leather belts worn around the waist and hips. The footwear was sensational, too, and comprised knee-high leather stomper boots (a Raf classic, of course) and point-toe heels with excessive bondage-like straps across the front and sculptural heels that curved inwards (shades of Simons’s Dior paneled escarpins and Prada 45mm sling-backs, perhaps?). Drawing on motifs of seasons past, the designer also featured jewelry in the form of skeletal hands and vampire fangs.
Courtesy of Raf Simons5/5After taking a bow, Simons jumped into the crowd to party
After the finale, Simons came out for his usual bow, emotional as ever. But instead of returning backstage, Simons jumped straight into the packed crowd and into the embrace of industry friends, as well as delighted super fans who were all at the ready with their cameras. As the party continued until the wee hours, it’s safe to say that attendees experienced a little slice of fashion history.
This article was originally published in British Vogue
