Men Should Know Who Raf Simons Is

Blog by : adnan

Here's Raf Simons in a nutshell: The Belgian designer has garnered a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim for proving time and again that—despite being 45—he knows how to make clothes that encapsulate the spirit of youth in rebellion. When you look at his collections, especially his most recent (actually an entire collaboration with American artist Sterling Ruby), you can see bits and pieces of stuff you'd actually add to your wardrobe while still admiring the spectacle of it all. And "spectacle" is the key word here, because I know that when the average guy sees a fashion show, he's not quite sure what he's supposed to be looking at.

But what makes Simons so talented is that he can easily translate his vision into covetable menswear, from slim-cut trousers to casual clothes like graphic sweatshirts and bomber jackets—something of a Simons staple. This particular collaboration with Sterling Ruby amps up the cultural aspect of the collection. Ruby and Simons have a longstanding mutualistic relationship. Known for his large installations and spray-painted canvasses, Ruby's also designed the interior of Simons' Tokyo store, and before this collection, Simons featured Ruby's art on some of his designs at Dior.

What you're really looking for when you see something like Raf Simon /Sterling Ruby Fall-Winter 2014 are the gems that speak out to you, whether it's a camo overcoat or a bright green sweater with fabric patches. The American flag backdrop? The cartoonish chunky shoes? Those are merely there to provide an ambience, to remind everyone who thinks that "it's all just clothes" that there's real genius going on here. I mean technically, what you're looking at is a wearable art show. And we've already told you that art is worth investing in.