ASAP Rocky - RAF

Spring/Summer 2002 'Kollaps' Sleeveless Hoodie (ASAP Rocky)

ASAP Rocky released the video for "RAF," his musical homage to Belgian designer Raf Simons. The video features Rocky, Quavo, Playboi Carti, and a group of models appropriately dripped in rare Raf. Many of the items—including a Fall/Winter 2003 fishtail parka adorned with Peter Saville's art and a more recent pink Finger Nail anorak from Raf's collaborative Fall/Winter 2014 collection with artist Sterling Ruby—are from the personal collections of Rocky and his stylist (and former Complex editor) Matthew Henson; a few are from Grailed's archive.

Directed by Alec Eskander, the video is an ode to a Raf Simons visual lookbook from the designer's debut Fall/Winter 1995-1996 collection. Much like the lookbook, Rocky, Quavo, Carti, and the models parade across a white backdrop as they show off various archival Raf pieces.

From Fall/Winter 1995 to Spring/Summer 1997, Simons' collections were shown either in videos or presentations. It wasn't until Fall/Winter 1997 that he had his first runway show in Paris.
In addition to the nod to Simons' first collection, "RAF" also references the designer's Spring/Summer 2002 "Woe on Those Who Spit on the Fear Generation... The Wind Will Blow It Back" collection. In the beginning of the video, Rocky is seen lighting a red road flare much like a model did in Simons' Spring/Summer 2002 runway show. Rocky's also wearing the "Kollaps" sleeveless hoodie from the collection.

Raf Simons's Calvin Klein Campaign

American Classics, the first Calvin Klein campaign under direction of Raf Simons

It's been six months since the announcement that designer Raf Simons was taking over the American brand Calvin Klein. Raf Simons overhauls Calvin Klein’s Logo and with the first campaign creates a new spirit for the iconic underwear. With a series of eight images, shot by Willy Vanderperre, art takes precedence over clothing, with models wearing simple yet iconic Calvin Klein pieces—jeans, white T-shirts, briefs—while large-scale artworks by iconic American artists loom in the background. Simons is a well-known art lover, so it makes sense that he'd frame his models with pieces by Richard Prince, Sterling Ruby, and Andy Warhol.
The brands logo has been restyled too, thanks to art director and graphic designer Peter Saville (the mastermind behind the iconic album artwork of groups like New Order and Joy Division).

Raf Simons loves New York

Raf Simons show was the marquee event of New York Men's Fashion Week. The Belgian designer, formerly of Dior, soon to debut with Calvin Klein, showed his own, eponymous menswear label for the first time in New York. With his 'I Love NY' collection he showed love for New York and expressed on the current political situation that made him think about the potential of fashion as a means of social reaction or rebellion. He mentioned thoughts of punk culture in the ‘70s.

 “I wanted to go back and remember what it was like at the beginning, and combine it with the experience I am having now,” said Simons, now making his home in New York. “So it’s a fresh young attraction to the city, combined with what’s happening now. Yes, of course the political situation.”

Raf Simons Spring/Summer 2017

Raf Simons worked with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation on his spring men's collection. For his return to Pitti Uomo, Raf Simons transformed Florence’s Stazione Leopolda into a Nineties-inspired warehouse rave with colored spotlights and electronic music paying  homage to Robert Mapplethorpe’s work.
 “I was contacted by the foundation, usually it’s me contacting the artists,” Simons said right after the show. “They wanted to see if these could be transported to another field or medium.”
The designer had access to the photographer’s complete archive and selected images from different periods of his career, including portraits of Patti Smith, self portraits, still lives which he translated into prints on oversize cotton shirts, apron tops and apron skirts layered over slim pants.

Mapplethorpe, who died of AIDS in 1989, was celebrated for his questioning and merging of both good and bad taste, a dichotomy that can be seen in several nude self-portraits in the collection. His deep friendships are also represented in photos of Patti Smith, as well as Debbie Harry, Laurie Anderson, and various unknown subjects. Currently many of his work is on display in a massive Mapplethorpe retrospective at LACMA.

http://rafsimons.com

Raf Simons SS 2015 Menswear

Intimate, Emotional and Radical

For his spring/summer 2015 menswear collection Raf Simons stripped down the glamour at Espace Vendome with an intimate and personal show. Happening is a better word as this was so much more than a fashion show. First of all he disrupted the hierarchical fashion system codes by making everyone equal and invited the audience to stand. No seaters, everyone is front row. Runway was a pathway, created by the audience where models circulated and passing by looking effortlessly.
For this collection he went back to his aesthetic and fascinations of his early career years. It felt like he was looking back to his past moodboards, he literally used his old family images in the collages that where covering the back of most of the garments. His parents also attended the presentation.
Set under a haze of red light, audience was asked not to use flash on their phones and camera's. Although difficult to really see all the details, this was exactly the point he wanted to make, to really experience the presentation. It all felt meaningful and timeless. For me this was the first time to actually attend Raf Simons show and I felt 'invited' to experience 'Raf Simons'. Thank you.

Report published on KALTBLUT Magazine

http://www.rafsimons.com

Raf Simons x Sterling Ruby

For the Fall Winter 2014 collection Raf Simons teamed up with American artist Sterling Ruby.
The result is a wonderful & colorfull collaboration!

http://www.rafsimons.com

Raf Simons x Eastpak

Back in the days I was one of those Eastpak highshool teenagers. It would have been cool if this one already existed.
The Raf Simons Backpack is the new release from the collaboration of iconic bag brand Eastpak and Belgian designer Raf Simons.
http://rafsimons.eastpak.com/

Couture Graphique at MOTI museum

Today I visited Breda for the first time thanks to the Couture Graphique exhibition at MOTI museum.
For everyone who is looking for a reason to visit Breda; well perhaps because of MOTI.

Couture Graphique is the first exhibition ever about fashion and graphic design; an exhibition in which shows the communicative and decorative aspects of clothing and accessories as a means of communication.
Clothing has become an important means of expression; clothing represents the person who wears it and what he or she wishes to project and communicate. Graphic design plays a role in fashion right up to wearable technologies where clothing is used as interface for communication technology.

The exhibition shows work of designers: Walter van Beirendonck, Bas Kosters, Henrik Vibskov, A.F. Vandevorst, Dries van Noten, Viktor and Rolf, Raf Simons, Paul Smith, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Bernhard Willhelm, and more.

MOTI has invited José Teunissen (Professor in Fashion Theory at ArtEZ in Arnhem, Holland and since 2009 visiting professor to the University of the Arts in London), to investigate this subject of Couture Graphique in depth and develop an exhibition concept as a curator.

The exhibition is open until August 8th 2013.

http://www.motimuseum.nl/en/home/4

Please take a look at the images for an impression about this exhibtion.

Axelle Red - Fashion Victim at Fashion Museum Hasselt

It has been a while since the fantastic opening but here it is finally, my report. It was one of the best openings in a while, it seemed like the whole Belgian fashion scene was there.

Axelle Red is a successful singer-song writer, humanist and a style icon with a giant wardrobe. A wardrobe that, as it turns out, in a museum context turns into an art collection.

Her wardrobe turned out to be so special that Kenneth Ramaekers, director of MMH, the Fashion Museum Hasselt got the idea to ask her as a guest curator for an exhibition in the framework of a series of 'not professional curatorship by local heroes'.
Such as "Ultra Mega Lore' in 2010, an exhibition curated by the originating from Hasselt top model Hanelore Knuts.

Axelle also got carte blanche to tell her story. In addition to fashion she therefore also shows photography, video and art. With this expo she breaks a lance for Belgian artists, as she says.

27 years ago when Axelle Red (born Fabienne Demal in Hasselt in 1968) began to save money to buy unique clothing she didn't thought that today she would own a huge and very relevant wardrobe.
If you see the amount of clothing that she owns you think indeed 'a fashion victim', but each piece has its own story. For Axelle the clothes are more than just something you can wear. For her clothing are creative assets with which she expresses the spirit of various fases in her life. The clothing reflects on many friendships that she has kept thanks to her career, such as the special relationship with designer Véronique Leroy.

designer Véronique Leroy at the opening 

Thank God her passion so deeply rooted that she has almost kept everything.

FASHIONALISM all over Modo Parcours 2012

On the 12th, 13th and 14th October 2012, Modo Brussels organized its twelfth MODO PARCOURS.
This annual phenomenon has blossomed into not only the largest fashion event in Brussels, but has also gained a high-profile status throughout Belgium and beyond. Over three days, Belgium’s hottest fashion talent exhibited their creations in the capital, at more than 60 different locations. A fashion trail leads visitors through the most exciting selection of Brussels’ trend-setting establishments in the Dansaert and Sablon districts.
For this edition Modo Brussel invited The Netherlands as the guest country. This resulted in stunning High Fashion Low Countries exhibition and installations from emerging dutch designers like Winde Rienstra.
I attended Modo Parcours for the very first time and encountered great energy, talent and loads of potential in Brussels.  I wish I could have stayed longer to see more but I am glad I went to Brussels in the first place.

Have a look at my picture report of Modo Parcours.
http://www.modobrussels.be/

Dressing the 20th Century at MMH Fashion Museum Hasselt

Dressing the 20th Century | Women’s Fashion in the Designer Era
Some of you still may not have heard about the MMH Fashion Museum Hasselt (Modemuseum Hasselt) (Belguim) but with its exciting and relevant exhibitions and their collection it is one of my favorite museums.

MMH recently bacame owner of a home-grown fashion talent and phenomenon Raf Simons. Substanial Raf Simons archive is now part of their collection and is shown in the in the exhibition Dressing the 20th Century.
Alongside Raf Simons the exhibition focuses on a number of Limburg designers such as Martin Margiela and upcoming labels Ti + Hann and Sofie Claes.
Also worth mentioning is the scenography. This time Michiel van der Bos was responsible.
For more information: http://www.modemuseumhasselt.be


Here are impressions from the opening of the exhibition!


Dressing the 20th century is open unti the 6th of January 2013.

The 20th Century was characterised by extremely diverse fashions which followed each other at a breath-taking rate: from orientalism, Roaring Twenties, the elegant Thirties, the new simplicity and New Look to the revolutionary Sixties, anti-fashion & ethnic influences, Dress for Success and avant-garde, with an explosion of different fashions at the end of the century.

Vivienne Westwood

Spurred on by technology, supply and demand and sociocultural change the concept of fashion was given another interpretation. The status of the designer was also redefined. The exclusive atmosphere of Parisian couture at the beginning of the 20th Century moved towards the instant worldwide accessibility of fashion on the internet in the nineties. Paris remained the epicentre, but designer fashion was simultaneously developing in the United States, Italy, Great Britain and Japan.

Throughout the 20th century intercultural and historical influences had a major impact on fashion design. Styles, designs and materials from earlier periods and other cultures became more accessible to designers as a result of more efficient travel and communication opportunities. At the same time, developments in the field of photography and new printing techniques meant that designers could draw on ideas from secondary sources such as illustrated books, magazines and newspapers.

Encounter with promising designer, Pedram Karimi

One of my favorite discoveries at FAT - Arts & Fashion Week Toronto is the Montreal based fashion designer, Pedram Karimi.
The collection that he presented at FAT was exactly how he described it 'minimal, structural, timeless, androgynous, modern, playful'...just beautiful!.


http://pedramkarimi.com/

You can read the Q&A with Pedram here:

Jil Sander Menswear Fall 2012

Extraordinary tailoring and almost the whole collection in pure black. I can't take my eyes of this collection by Raf Simons for Jil Sander.  Also the accessories! Based on my personal taste, I want it all.

'Le regard de personae' by Malou Swinnen

From October 27 2011 till January 8 2012 Malou Swinnen exhibits the new series "Le regard de personae" at the MMH (Fashion Museum Hasselt)
Malou Swinnen (b. 1944, Neerpelt) lives and works in Hasselt. As an artist she enjoys a high reputation at home and abroad and her pictures are regularly exhibited. They are also part of several collections: Photography Musea (Antwerp and Charleroi), the Ministry of the Flemish Community, the Bibliotheque Nationale (Paris), and various private collections. The fascination for the face, skin, the pose, the look and attributes are constants in her work.
In 2010 she was invited by the Art Bank for artistic research. In connection with their exclusive collection of textiles and accessories she re-portraited the looks and the genre and in that way gets the series "Personae" (1995) a new follow-up.  This collection shows pieces from designers like Raf Simons, Hussein Chalayan, Martin Margiela, Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Bernhard Willhelm, Rei Kawakubo and A.F  Vandevorst.

This may be your perfect opportunity to see PRINTS! if you have missed it.
http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/06/prints-in-fashion-and-costume-history.html

http://www.modemuseumhasselt.be

Unravel. Knitwear in Fashion in MoMu Antwerp

With Unravel. Knitwear in Fashion, MoMu presented an exhibition about a material that is very familiar to all of us: knitwear. The exhibition closed last weekend. 
Im so happy that I got the see it before closing time, really inspiring! It's about time that I learn to knit.

Tilda Swinton for Sandra Backlund.
Published in Another Magazine, Autumn 2009.
Photo by Craig McDeanK.
Styling by Panos Yiapanis

Arnhem Mode Biennale 2011

Dear Friends,
Welcome to my world!
During this one month, I share my most precious memories and secrets with you.
I hope my world will inspire everyone and that you leave full of new ideas and impressions in the sun.
Much love,
Amber

Last week, just on time before Amber left, I made with my colleagues FASHIONCLASH a trip to Arnhem. We visited the main location, where Amber welcomed us with sweet letters.

On the press conference of the Arnhem Fashion Biennale 2011 on February 21, artistic director JOFF began the presentation by reading a letter addressed to fashion, the muse of the Arnhem Fashion Biennale. With this declaration of love was her name, and thus the title of the Arnhem Fashion Biennale 2011 Edition revealed. The letter read here.
http://brankopopovic.blogspot.com/2011/04/arnhem-mode-biennale-2011.html

There are several fashion initiatives in the Netherlands and we like to visit our colleagues but of all initiatives Arnhem Fashion Biennale is most precious to us because it shows fashion as art, and because it really inspires.

For one month Arnhem is dedicated to fashion and for this forth edition it was all about Amber, which stands as a metaphor and muse for fashion. Amber is the guide through the biennale, you can hear her, taste, smell and experience.

In the exhibition there were beautiful installation including Damir Doma, Jill Sander, Bless, Iris van Herpen, Rad Hourani, Klavers van Engelen, Maison Martin Margiela and also worj of emerging young designers.
One of the finest contributions was sure that AF Vandevorst. A girl lies on a hospital bed, but both the girl, the mattress and pillow are made of wax. What began as a perfect scenery on May 29, during the biennial melted away slowly. July 3 Amber left unfortunately but she has certainly left a mark in many hearts.

http://www.arnhemmodebiennale.com/en/2011/

Just take a look at this wonderful work and installation.

Fashion is art, no doubt about that.

parfum 'Amber'
made in collaboration with parfume haus Six Scents




Capricious Magazine

http://capriciousmagazine.com/

Fashion in film


Amie Dicke

http://amiedicke.com

Maison Martin Margiela








Bless






Noman


Rad Hourani
in collaboration with Melissa Matos and Andrew Gordon Macpherson


Raf Simons
in collaboration with Pierre Debusschere




Iris van Herpen


Damir Doma


Juun.J


Klavers van Engelen


Jill Sander




Wendy & Jim




Siki Im
in collaboration with Winka Dubbeldam, Archi-Tectonics




Thom Browne


Patrik Erveli


Prologues, young designers


A.F Vandevorst