Ditching the usual reserved seating setup that typically governs today’s hottest fashion shows, designer Raf Simons turned his attention instead to the stage during New York Fashion Week, creating an elaborate catwalk transformed into a full-on Last Supper table complete with all the makings of a wildly lavish (and intoxicating) royal feast—half-empty bottles and goblets of red wine, loaves of bread, and mounds upon mounds of fruits and vegetables were seen littered across the runway as decked out models navigated their way against a searing deep house soundtrack.
The showcase, dubbed “Youth in Motion,” took place at midtown’s Sir Stage 37 and aimed to serve as a sartorial homage to Uli Edel’s polarizing 1981 film Christiane F., which tells the story of teenage drug abuse during Cold War-era Germany, and the mid-1980’s tragicomedy play Drugs, where Cookie Mueller and Glenn O’Brien tell the story of two roommates and their journey with life-altering substances throughout the decades.
Sweaters, hoodies, trousers, and various outerwear pieces were emblazoned with drug slogans like “LSD,” “XTC,” and “GHB” along with pieces that simply had the word “DRUGS” written across them in large bold caps along with a tiny shoutout to Cookie Mueller and Glenn O’Brien on the bottom. Beyond the aggressively overt drug-laced wares, there were also a plethora of bulky pea coats and puffer jackets as well as various suit and knitwear, including lengthy cardigans, oversized turtlenecks, and argyle-patterned bibs. Of course those were just a tad overshadowed by the overall theme of the night.
According to a press release, the designer “(sought) to neither glorify nor condone the culture(s) of drugs,” but instead intended to consider the persistent, almost ubiquitous presence of narcotics (prescribed or otherwise) within our society and acknowledge our often conflicted relationships with them.” And while part of the proceeds from the pieces will be going to organizations that support addiction recovery, there was no doubt a clear air of drug glorification that seemed to glamorize a drug-fueled lifestyle. That being said, hopefully the message Simons’ was actually trying to convey will resonate with our youthful masses in a positive light. Hopefully.
You can check out some of the looks from the show below and the show in its entirety at rafsimons.com.
