click scans to enlargeI came across this fascinating interview with Raf Simons in the spring/summer 2011 'Androgyny' issue of LOVE magazine when I was getting tea at the Rose Bakery in Dover Street Market yesterday. In a typically bizarre scene there, while flicking through the magazines they have on the tables, trying not to listen too much to the conversation that E. Tautz's creative director Patrick Grant (seated at the next table) was having with some friends about Victoria Beckham's brand, while a bespectacled European architect type was frantically taking not-so-subtle iPhone pictures of my b Store desert boots from across the room, I turned my attention to LOVE, mostly just so I could offended by the Justin Beiber cover. What should I come across, though, but a (rare) interview with none other than Raf! I really recommend reading it. I think his views about the womenswear influence on how young men dress today (against the broader shifting paradigm of masculinity) are really interesting, and I love the notion of cosmetic surgery being an inspiration behind his SS11 collection. I would have prefered less emphasis on Simons' 'journey' from being uncomfortable with fashion to more broadly accepting it (for want of a less pretentious term, bildungsroman-type stories in interviews do have a tendency to seem somewhat imposed by the interviewer), but I'm certainly not complaining!
Oh, and Raf Simons House !! i *die*
It was definitely a great read. That interview alone made me purchase the issue even though the Bieber back cover really turned me off.
ReplyDeleteDid you purchase the book, Raf Simons Redux? I've been thinking about getting it, but I'd like to get some review of it first.
I love your writing btw.
ohh i'll check this one out, ive seen a copy at my gf's
ReplyDeleteI'm still PISSED at both Prada and Raf Simons for such a SHITTY season.
ReplyDeletePrada bastards never even sold the shoes that were on the runway.
Raf Simons didn't even put the t-shirts with the zipper on the back into production, among many other pieces in this season's collection that never even made it to the stores or production for that matter. I can't even make a special order or call one of his stores up because his ONLY stores are in Japan!
I HATE YOU RAF SIMONS FOR TEASING US WITH SUCH A GREAT SS 2011 COLLECTION BUT ONLY SELLING/ PRODUCING 10% OF THE PIECES THAT WERE ON THE RUNWAY!!!!!!!
Am I the only one who hasn't seen the T shirts with the big zipper on the back from Raf's SS2011 collection anywhere for sale?
PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU'VE SEEN THEM, I'M DESPERATE!!!!!!
I've even checked yahoo auctions japan but nothing. Luisaviaroma sold the t shirt that said "REALNESS" on the front but it looked cheap and didn't even have a zipper on the back, it wasn't the one shown on the runway. How about all the great jackets that were shown on the runway? Only three boring blazers were for sale.
RAF DIDN'T EVEN PRODUCE THE ZIPPER ATTACHMENTS THAT WERE ON THE RUNWAY!
Where can I get the t shirts from this season with the big zippers on the back?
Hello Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThe reason a lot of the Raf Simons collection has not gone into production is because the manufacturer (which Raf Simons will no longer work with from this season onwwards) is being obstructive and cancelling production at the last minute. Thecorner.com and park.co.at have some runway pieces, including the zipper pulls, and I know Seven New York are still expecting a SS11 delivery (they always get everything super late in the season for some reason).
Prada, however, has no excuses about those shoes!
Thanks for the quick reply.
ReplyDeleteI wish I found park.co.at sooner, they probably had more things in stock earlier. I was too late to get any zipper pulls for the Raf shirt and sweater I bought with zippers on the backs -I didn't see any, nor did they come with the items I purchased at the corner.
I talked to Oki-Ni a few months ago, they said they were still expecting the t-shirts and vests from their order. Just talked to them recently and they said their order had been canceled due to delays. I guess my only hope is Seven, Browns (still waiting for their order 6 months into the season) and Mr. Porter ("Coming soon" -I hope they don't mean Raf's fall line.)
Isn't this the zipper pull? They're calling it a 'keyring' but that's just because they don't know how to categorise it, i think:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thecorner.com/item/YOOX/RAF+SIMONS/dept/tcrafsimonsm/tskay/582B0E9B/rr/1/cod10/46199584FG/sts/sr_tcrafsimonsm3
Also, I happen to know that the first collection MR PORTER will get is FW11..
Some more webshops that carry the SS11 line:
ReplyDeletePOR VOCAÇÃO
LAZZARI
SSENSE
FORWARD
That's not actually a zipper pull, it could be used that way, but it doesn't look right, I already ordered it a few months ago. It really is more of an accessory for your keys. The zipper pulls on the runway didn't have one of those rounded key-chain things. Oki-Ni was the only store to sell one of the zipper pulls. I regret not getting it then, now that I've seen the interview. I Also just got word that Brown's canceled their order too. I guess I can always check yahoo auctions japan in a few years or yoox in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think Raf Simons likes New Order :)
ReplyDelete