Raf Simons FW16 show Anatomy

Mouth

A few days ago Raf Simons released the images of the new SS16 campaign of his eponymous brand. Shot (as usual) by photographer Willy Vanderperre with Olivier Rizzo’s styling, it combines black and white images with brightly coloured ones.

Shot in a parc, a cold and bleak place, a pair of masked people (remember last June’s show with the models’ faces hidden under scarves and medieval caps?) hugging while sitting on a bench. Set, clothes and atmosphere bring us back to 2002, the time of Simons’ Virginia Creeper’s collection.

For next Summer he presented instead a capsule collection called Isolated Heroes. It's a series of parkas, sweaters and bags in the shades of black and white, decorated with silk-screen prints taken from the eponymous book that came out in 1999 in which photographer David Sims portrayed young boys wearing Simons’ garments.

The most awaited event, however, was the show, the first one after leaving Dior last October for, as he said: "focusing on other interests in my life, including my personal brand".

Expectations are not disappointed. The show is a powerful tribute to his cherished oversized volumes and collegial style, with inspirations coming from horror movies, Twin Peaks, Cindy Sherman, The Breakfast Club.

The cult items? Tailored coats, overflowing sweaters and varsity jackets, worn over tight pants.

Mind

Raf Simons - Cindy Sherman "Untitled 141"

Raf Simons - Cindy Sherman "Untitled 132"

Raf Simons - Donna Hayward in "Twin Peaks"

Raf Simons - Nadine Hurley and Mike Nelson in "Twin Peaks"

Raf Simons - Martin Margiela

Eyes

Heart/Art

Paris. On the notes of Angelo Badalamenti's music, Twin Peaks’ composer, in a set that looks like a labyrinth with editors standing without seats, Raf Simons presents his collection for next Winter.

It’s called Nightmares and Dreams and ratifies his debut after breaking up with Dior. “ I titled it this way because we all have dreams and we all have nightmares" he explains backstage.

The result is a collection that reveals his fascination with horror movies - from Scream to Halloween - and a distorted idea of the American youth, artist Cindy Sherman and, above all, David Lynch and Twin Peaks.

Simons describes it like this: "I always like to make beautiful things... but it’s also interesting when something goes wrong, something’s weird, something’s dark”.