Raf Simons' spring '18 menswear show last night, which marked his second time presenting in New York, was a much-needed jolt of excitement amid his largely predictable NYFWM peers.
Inspired by the 1982 film Blade Runner, Simons set his evening show under the Manhattan Bridge in a Chinese food market, complete with neon lights, wet pavement, and lanterns printed with imagery from longtime collaborator Peter Saville, who's responsible for he iconic imagery on Joy Division and New Order album covers.
The audience was standing-only, and consisted of a much more A-list clientelle than much of the week's previous events: A$AP Rocky, Marc Jacobs, and Julianne Moore were among those in attendance.
"I love Raf and he's a good friend, so I'm very glad he's here," Jacobs told Vogue. "Although, I saw more of him before he got here than since he's here... but, you know, Raf makes fashion. He's a creator. So he brings a creativity to American fashion which I think is lacking, so I'm very happy to have him."
Simons' spring '18 clothes revisited signature silhouettes, updated with a modern Blade Runner edge. There were several shiny trenches, printed bucket hats with matching neck ties, shirts bearing the word "Replicant" on their breast, as well as off-the-shoulder sweaters, wide-legged trousers, and an excess of wide plaid patterns. Accessories included, fittingly, galoshes and umbrellas, some with glowing rods, and little pouches in collaboration with Eastpak.
Soundtrack-wise, the show represented a signature Simons amalgamation of genre that enhanced the gritty, action movie feeling of the whole neon-lit scene.
