Raf Simons, the Belgian designer par excellence of men’s formal wear and the aesthetic codes that winked at the youth sub-cultures of the 90s and the past, never ceases to surprise us. After the announcement of a month ago of the transfer to Prada where he will work alongside Miuccia Prada as co-director, an unpublished 2001 video of one of his very important collection appears on the net. Defined as the designer’s launch collection and titled Riot! Riot! Riot !, the fall/winter 2001/2002 show is now available on the YouTube channel.
A show that determined the career of Raf Simons, not only for a return to the catwalk after a sabbatical in Vienna, but because precisely in Vienna the designer was influenced by the street style influences of the boys of the vintage markets, who used to wrap themselves in outfits multi layer due to the cold. The styling of the collection, in fact, is in opposition to the extra slim silhouettes of the very first Raf Simons, with bomber jackets, oversized sweaters and cargo pants. The industrial setting and the rave soundtrack further emphasize the show.
Raf Simons designed his first collection in 1995 the same year the Brand Supreme was born. Since the beginning of his experience in the world of fashion, the fashion designer has proven himself capable of passionate leading figures in music and entertainment, increasing the hype surrounding him out of all proportion. It is inspired by the music and art of the past, while keeping an eye on future trends. His clothes reflect modernity, the male zeitgeist who is rapidly changing towards a more linear, more slim prototype, but still the child of street confusion. Raf Simons must feel free to dare and experiment; for three years, from 2012 to 2015 he headed Dior, but then the adventure ended, too many constraints and rigid company frameworks. Later he accepted spot collaborations, such as the one with Adidas for the launch of the Ozweego model, which he personally designed. A stylist and an artist, an innovator in the field of fashion, a true revolutionary. So what Riot Riot Riot! be..
