“Before that, fashion was very abstract to me. This way of presenting a feeling–I’d never experienced it. I was never aware of that kind of impact, and that was the point when I realized that was what I wanted to do.” – Raf Simons tells V Man Magazine
When asked about the origins of their inspiration, designers usually give a drawn out response of something that happened in the past. Raf Simons isn’t one of them. As he tells V Man magazine in their spring issue, Simons is more interested in the transformative aspect of fashion that doesn’t follow its evolution, but rather, is responsible for it.
“I have an interest in exploring the future, in being more conceptual and extreme. I never sit down and think, ‘What should I do?’ It’s the life and environment [my design team and I] breathe in and out. It’s our soup and potatoes. We communicate a lot, and build collections out of that.”
For Simons, fashion is a self-expressive art, representative of something anecdotal. In his case, Simons has been responsible for the onset of a new attitude towards fashion – the embracement of a ‘youthful awkwardness’ that has ultimately become the ideal. Essentially, a transition towards a new appreciation for the skinny kids on the streets – ditching the old fascination with the masculine man.
“It was very different from what menswear had been up until then. There was this power man with muscles. We were young skinny kids, shopping at flea markets trying to find a look for ourselves, an unglamorous approach. We didn’t relate to Versace.”
Since the launch of his line in 1995, Simons has sent out collections embodying a modern style of ultra-tailored fits and bold shapes. His Spring 2009 collection was his most impressive yet. Dominated by extreme tailoring and modern shapes, Simons emulated a fearless style by providing brave reinterpretations of classic pieces, elongating several tops and making suit jackets sleeveless.
Although many point fingers at Simons for redefining men’s fashion, Simons may object. If you ask the Belgian native, he still doesn’t consider himself a fashion designer. He attributes this idea to his other interests. In particular, art proves to be an emotional passion of his.
“It is so fascinating for me to experience someone else’s point of view. I take it very often as an inspiration. It’s even hard for me to talk about it–it’s such a part of me and so woven into my life. If I have money, I buy art. I like to have an environment where I have it present. I think about it constantly.”
Aside from his own line, Simons holds the position as creative director of Jil Sander. With these credentials, it could be assumed that he has always been surrounded by the aesthetic of fashion – however, this isn’t the case. Being raised in a small village in northern Belgium, Simons confesses that the isolation stripped away any sense of creativity.
“I was so isolated in the village I grew up in, I was not even aware that art or fashion schools existed.”
Perhaps this isolation and lack of expression could explain Simons’ desire to break free from anything that has been created before – instead, focusing on reengineering traditional styles. Simons is more concerned with “the now,” using it to manipulate the future of fashion.
“At the end of the day, fashion is connected with what is in the air. It is very much about the moment in time. It can be meaningful today and completely unmeaningful tomorrow.”
Redefining fashion – one skinny dude at a time.
Below, looks from the Raf Simons Spring 2009 collection:
Images via men.style.com and vman.com
