After two impressive tenures at Jil Sander and Christian Dior, both European-based fashion houses, Raf Simons’ latest design role as creative director of Calvin Klein has finally brought the quasi-minimalist to New York City. Simons’ premier runway show for the iconic New York-based brand was a visual exercise in iconography, both in the archetypical Americana sense as well as in respect to the house’s storied history. Within the extensive 64-look, largely unisex collection, were a spattering of riffs on American culture, manifested by way of colorful band uniforms, varsity sweatshirts – reminiscent of deconstructed versions seen on the fall/winter 2016 runway for Raf’s namesake menswear label – clear PVC coverings for overcoats and feminine cocktail dresses, American quilts, metal-tipped cowboy boots, power suits, leather biker jackets and even a fringed American Flag number. Simons resurrected Brooke Shield’s famous 1981 “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins” Calvin Klein Jeans campaign by imprinting her iconic silhouette on leather labels attached to the waistbands of the collection’s denim looks. Like many of the so-easily-recognizable themes and cultural symbols interwoven within Raf’s first collection for Calvin Klein, it seems the Belgian fashion designer is quickly developing his own epochal design vernacular at the American fashion house.
References
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Frank Lloyd Wright
Peacock Chair, 1921
Judy Linn
Robert Gets Dressed at the Chelsea, early 1970s
Charles and Ray Eames
The Eames House, 1949
Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand
Library Table with Built-in Light Fixture for the Maison de l’Etudiant, Paris, 1951
Juergen Teller, "Go-Sees"
Adriana Lima, April 1999
Gunta Stölzl
Bauhaus Carpet Design, 1923
David Hammons
African-American Flag, 1990
Andre Sornay
Cabinet, 1950s
Alexander McQueen
Spring/Summer 1996
Image by Thomas Ruff
Herzog & de Meuron, Antipodes Student Housing, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France, 1992
Gunta Stölzl
Bauhaus Design Rug
Jean-Michel Frank
Iron and Leather Settee, 1920s
Jean Prouvé
Pair of Visiteur Armchairs, 1950
Marcel Duchamp
In Advance of the Broken Arm, 1915 (1964)
Maison Martin Margiela Spring/Summer 1990
Image by Bill Cunningham for Details Magazine; March, 1990
Jasper Johns
Painted Bronze (Ale Cans), 1960
Richard Avedon
Audrey Hepburn in Yves Saint Laurent, 1960
Robert Rauschenberg
The Bed, 1955
References
Frank Lloyd Wright
Peacock Chair, 1921
1 of 18
Judy Linn
Robert Gets Dressed at the Chelsea, early 1970s
2 of 18
Charles and Ray Eames
The Eames House, 1949
3 of 18
Jean Prouvé and Charlotte Perriand
Library Table with Built-in Light Fixture for the Maison de l’Etudiant, Paris, 1951
4 of 18
Juergen Teller, "Go-Sees"
Adriana Lima, April 1999
5 of 18
Gunta Stölzl
Bauhaus Carpet Design, 1923
6 of 18
David Hammons
African-American Flag, 1990
7 of 18
Andre Sornay
Cabinet, 1950s
8 of 18
Alexander McQueen
Spring/Summer 1996
9 of 18
Image by Thomas Ruff
Herzog & de Meuron, Antipodes Student Housing, Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France, 1992
10 of 18
Gunta Stölzl
Bauhaus Design Rug
11 of 18
Jean-Michel Frank
Iron and Leather Settee, 1920s
12 of 18
Jean Prouvé
Pair of Visiteur Armchairs, 1950
13 of 18
Marcel Duchamp
In Advance of the Broken Arm, 1915 (1964)
14 of 18
Maison Martin Margiela Spring/Summer 1990
Image by Bill Cunningham for Details Magazine; March, 1990
15 of 18
Jasper Johns
Painted Bronze (Ale Cans), 1960
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Richard Avedon
Audrey Hepburn in Yves Saint Laurent, 1960
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