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Raf Simons: Been There - Done That
By: Karl Treacy
Photos by Gruber-FWD
PARIS, Jul 6, 2002/ FWD/ --- Eventually it stops being fun for fashion folk to schlep out
to an impossible-to-find industrial car park by the Seine to stand expectantly around a cube
of compressed aluminum cans.
Last week Raf Simons reached saturation point.
It wasn't so much the location - which in itself was probably pretty in an urban, zeitgeist
kind of way - it was the clothes themselves.
Simons yet again rehashed his anti-capitalist, anti-establishment theme.
You know the one - hooded sweatshirts, printed T-shirts and covered faces, this time with
something that looked like an apiarist's netted hat.
Simons' big idea, like a lot of other people's, is to have a whole lot of pockets going on.
This translated into multi-pocket jackets, and pants with enough storage room for whatever
it is that today's urban guerilla needs to have on his person.
Simons also deconstructed jackets and coats so that they become no more than a framework of
straps with pockets - perfect for holding that pack of Marlboro Red.
Company logos were reworked and printed with ironic punk slogans on double layer t-shirts
with cutouts.
Every now and then some great pieces appeared, like long coats, a double-breasted suit,
slim-fit army shirts and fabulous wide cut pleat-front trousers.
But the over-reliance on matte PVC in the place of leather was a non-starter.
It looked tacky, even when perforated or cut into a military style coat.
What was missing from the show was the frisson of excitement that was expected.
Models standing sullenly on an aluminum cubes with "The Manic Street Preachers" politically
charged lyrics playing in the background is only so interesting.
Unfortunately for Raf Simons, treading familiar territory does not a fashion moment, or
a great collection, make.
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