Raf Simons, the newly appointed Chief Creative Officer of Calvin Klein and one of the most respected and influential designers of the past decade (if not longer), presented his own men’s line collection in New York instead of Europe this past week for the first time in 21 years, and with all the fuss made about it in the days leading up to the event, it certainly lived up to the hype.
Since first launching his namesake collection back in 1995, Mr. Simons has been known for his rather unique and innovative approach to menswear, often experimenting with a slew of fabrics, prints, colors, and cuts in rather unexpected ways, with much of his designs typically being inspired by youth, art, and street culture, as evidenced in his well-known take on the classic Adidas Stan Smith sneaker.
So how did that avant-garde style translate into his recent show at Men’s New York Fashion Week? Well, for starters, he clearly paid homage to his new home here in New York, with slogans like “I (heart) NY,” “YOUTH PROJECT,” and “OUT OF THIS NIGHTMARE” emblazoned on many of the garments coming down the runway. There was even a large “THANK YOU” reminiscent of classic New York eatery takeout bags spelled out on an oversized Woolmark sweater. Wild, to say the least, but definitely a refreshing sight to see here at the now 3-year-old Men’s Fashion Week events.
And perhaps that’s the point? Indeed, with much of men’s fashion currently in an awkward flux between the now fading dapper looks of the past decade and the recent flood of “athleisure” styles—complete with tapered sweat pants and oversized bottom-cut hoodies—it’s nice to see a designer stake their ground in a collection that not only feels new and put together, but also one built on a solid style foundation that could very likely help pave the way for the next decade of men’s fashion. That’s not to say that Raf is the only one doing so, but the argument can be made that he’s the only one doing so while still sticking to his roots and what made him famous in the first place. And no matter what you think of the collection, there’s gotta be something to say for that.
You can view some of the pieces from the show below and the rest of the collection online at rafsimons.com/fall17.
