Raf Simons Mens F/W 2018.19 New York

[dodencebt]

vogue.com

 

[dodencebt]

vogue.com

 

[dodencebt]

vogue.com

 

[tricotineacetat]

For a designer to put slogan patches reading 'XTC', 'GHB', 'LSD' or 'DRUGS' on a garment, throw in the occasional Christiane F. reference and call that your Berlin inspiration and still be considered one of the most respected opinion leaders in the industry is beyond my understanding. People have been complaining about Off/White's shallow inspired 'design' but you really don't have to look much further than to Raf Simons to see where Mr. Abloh seems to be getting all the confirmation from for such poorly designed collections.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

^
thank you. I was a great fan of Raf Simons but since few years, i feel like i've been fooled by him. I dont see him as great at all. The styling is not good, the cast is not good, the setting is not impressive at all and so on.

 

[helmutnotdead]

He's really lost. I mean, the whole thing looks like: team, what's hot and trendy today? Balenciaga, Mr Simons. Ok, let's do that. I'm not saying that he copied Demna because it's silly, but maybe the way the clothes were displayed: pretentious styling, the atmosphere, those DRUGS prints are obvious and the "look at me, I'm so rebellious but a damn fashion victim at the same time" attitude.
I'm all for deconstruction when it's funny and well designed (cdg, margiela, galliano, etc etc) but this just doesn't feel genuine for me. And to be honest, I don't know what happened to him. His own brand used to be the coolest thing on Earth, his Jil Sander was wonderful but now he's very easy to understand. Too lazy if you ask me.

Also, I've been watching reviews and obviously they're praising him. What kind of change can we expect if the "experts" are totally obsessed with this no matter what? The same goes for Prada.

 

[dodencebt]

I cannot agree more with the three opinions above. You have summed it all up perfectly.

 

[maxlinden]

He's not glamorizing drugs at all, he's glamorizing art that discusses the danger of drugs.

Raf is brilliantly opening a forum and inviting the youth to educate themselves on the subject through Christiane F.(the book being much less glamorous than the movie, also a true story) and the book DRUGS by Cookie Mueller and Glenn O'Brien. Both works discuss the dangers of using drugs.

I loved the collection, everything is in silks and satins. The knits worn as dickies. The Jil sander inside pockets look very appealing and of course the tailoring which was fantastic. I love the way he uses art in his collection. I'm excited he's showing in NY the venue was like club/rave, everyone was standing and invited to interact with set.

BRILLANT!

Take notes kids.

 

[Lola701]

As usual with Raf this days: no substance, nothing, just pretentious designs that will be hyped to the fullest by the youth obsessed by Asap Rocky and Demna Gvasalia.
Today, wearing Raf means seeking a sign of approval by the fashion crowd. I seriously wonder if he has managed to keep some of his former customers.

He wants to educate young people on drugs by putting DRUGS on an outfit? It's pretty obvious that the people who are going to wear this clothes and who are totally influenced by a certain generation of rappers (Like Asap indeed) will totally understand the PSA when in stores....

He is lost and i'm kinda done with him. I still have a little hope for his Calvin Klein collections but as for his own brand, this is terrible!

But who cares, it's RAF right?

 

[Norden]

I used to be a very loyal Raf customer. But the last couple of collections are lost on me. Its very very contrived now.
Too expensive for what it is. He’s fooling his customer

 

[GivenchyAddict]

As usual with Raf this days: no substance, nothing, just pretentious designs that will be hyped to the fullest by the youth obsessed by Asap Rocky and Demna Gvasalia.
Today, wearing Raf means seeking a sign of approval by the fashion crowd. I seriously wonder if he has managed to keep some of his former customers.

He wants to educate young people on drugs by putting DRUGS on an outfit? It's pretty obvious that the people who are going to wear this clothes and who are totally influenced by a certain generation of rappers (Like Asap indeed) will totally understand the PSA when in stores....

He is lost and i'm kinda done with him. I still have a little hope for his Calvin Klein collections but as for his own brand, this is terrible!

But who cares, it's RAF right?

Totally agree ! If this is his way to educate young people, then he should not. Clothes can be interpreted in so many ways , the Raf Simons young customers are people who praise Asap Rocky and many rappers indeed . Rappers who praise using drugs. This collection doesn't invite to discuss anything. Raf just playing again on the street culture to get some money. period.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

For a designer to put slogan patches reading 'XTC', 'GHB', 'LSD' or 'DRUGS' on a garment, throw in the occasional Christiane F. reference and call that your Berlin inspiration and still be considered one of the most respected opinion leaders in the industry is beyond my understanding. People have been complaining about Off/White's shallow inspired 'design' but you really don't have to look much further than to Raf Simons to see where Mr. Abloh seems to be getting all the confirmation from for such poorly designed collections.

I completely agree.

This, according to Dazed & Confused, was the press release (or part of it

Ultimately, 'Youth In Motion' seeks to neither glorify nor condone the culture(s) of drugs; rather Simons seeks instead to consider the persistent, almost ubiquitous presence of narcotics (prescribed or otherwise) within our society and acknowledge our often conflicted relationships with them; in turn opening up a more nuanced dialogue around the implications for a society where addiction and the causes of addiction remain largely taboo subjects, with as both Christiane F. and the current opioid crisis demonstrate - often untold human consequences.

So from this concept he got styled suits and coats and every now and then a sweater (only worn through the neck), with captioned accessories and photo-printed t-shirts.
'Drugs' printed on a garment is like explaining a joke. There are thousands of 1st year fashion degree students out there who could design a more inspiring collection with this idea as a basis.

 

[tricotineacetat]

He's not glamorizing drugs at all, he's glamorizing art that discusses the danger of drugs.

Raf is brilliantly opening a forum and inviting the youth to educate themselves on the subject through Christiane F.(the book being much less glamorous than the movie, also a true story) and the book DRUGS by Cookie Mueller and Glenn O'Brien. Both works discuss the dangers of using drugs.

I loved the collection, everything is in silks and satins. The knits worn as dickies. The Jil sander inside pockets look very appealing and of course the tailoring which was fantastic. I love the way he uses art in his collection. I'm excited he's showing in NY the venue was like club/rave, everyone was standing and invited to interact with set.

BRILLANT!

Take notes kids.

I don't really see how placing a full frontal print of Christiane F. on a t-shirt or plastering the name of drugs on the knee patches of his trousers would be a brilliant design effort at all, or in any case make for an honest discourse about drug use. His inspirations serve as blatant excuses to plaster imagery on fairly basic cuts. I would dare to say this is even less design involvement than in some of Hedi Slimane's worst moments at Saint Laurent.

One could really be mistaken that this collection was designed by a kid growing up in the digital age who uses printed patches much in the same way as posting an image on Tumblr, and not by a designer who used to give us highly engineered, modern cuts 10 years ago.

 

[gossiping]

well, sorry but i really like it. love raf.

 

[RedSmokeRise]

On a positive note, the still life installation is very pretty!

 

[IloveDiorHomme]

vogue.com


Those hanging jumpers are clearly inspired by the Balenciaga FW18 collection.

What a boring collection. And I don't feel any junkie-Berlin vibe in any look.

 

[Nymphaea]

Love those hanging jumpers as an accessory, want one in black cashmere please!

 

[disco54]

He really had his creative peak at Jil Sander after that he has gone downhill rapidly. Also his designs are not relevant anymore above else its painfully boring

 

[Marc10]

He really had his creative peak at Jil Sander after that he has gone downhill rapidly. Also his designs are not relevant anymore above else its painfully boring

Not relevant?? You can dislike his designs all you want but one thing for sure, they are relevant. Raf's clothes are practically worshiped by millenials, his aesthetic is the main source of inspiration for Virgil and the other hot streetwear designers. In fact he's probably more relevant today then he was ten years ago at Jil Sander.

 

[disco54]

Not relevant?? You can dislike his designs all you want but one thing for sure, they are relevant. Raf's clothes are practically worshiped by millenials, his aesthetic is the main source of inspiration for Virgil and the other hot streetwear designers. In fact he's probably more relevant today then he was ten years ago at Jil Sander.

Maybe 10 years ago at Jil Sander he was relevant, not now and his outing at Dior was a complete flop. I would say Phoebe Philo took most of his clout and has impacted fashion far more. I actually really liked his work at Jil Sander.