Raf Simons’ penultimate couture collection for the house of Dior was a thoughtful exercise in experimentation. The Belgium fashion designer challenged the conventional boundaries of couture throughout his short tenure at the categorically French house; season after season, ever so slightly skewing the world’s understanding of fashion’s most luxurious practice. The youthful sophistication that Simons achieved was never so palpable as for his spring/summer 2015 couture collection for the house. Evading the categorical ‘Dior’ calling cards – the bar jacket, for one, was not within his design vernacular this season – Simons instead experimented with juxtaposing proportions – mini skirts worn with floor-grazing vests, for example – as well as with materiality – plastic, for one, printed with floral designs – and sublime couture techniques, such as tightly pleated flaring dresses finished with colorful strips of ribbon. This youthquake of 60s and 70s-era designs had models putting their best foot forward in thigh-high colorful latex boots, appearing as if their legs had been dipped in liquid plastic. A welcomed interpretation of a house still so tightly rooted to its founding in 1946.

References
- 1
- 2
Jean Royère
2-Branched Wall Lamp, 1945

Frank Lloyd Wright
SC Johnson Wax Headquarters, 1950. Photographed by Ezra Stoller

Paul Sharits
Frozen Film Frame, (Detail) Foto- Nils Klinger

Vanessa Redgrave wearing Oscar de la Renta
Image by Bert Stern, Vogue 1967

De Pas D'Urbino Lomazzi
Blow Inflatable Armchair, 1967

Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA), 1991

Beth Levine
The Stocking Shoe, 1960's
Jim Lambie
Installation at the Fruitmarket Gallery, 2014

Christian Dior
1967 Couture

Donyale Luna
British Vogue Editorial, March 1966
Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann
Velvet fabric, 1913

Frank Lloyd Wright
SC Johnson Wax Headquarters, 1950

Eero Saarinen
Miller House, with Interiors by Alexander Girard, 1953

Josef Frank
"Loops" on Linen
Niki De Saint Phalle
Mini Nana Acrobate, 1968

Niki De Saint Phalle
Untitled (Nana), 1968

Niki De Saint Phalle
Sphinx, 1975

The Kaleidoscope Pavilion at Expo '67
Montréal, Canada

Verner Panton
Varna Palace, Arhus, Danemark, 1971

References

Jean Royère
2-Branched Wall Lamp, 1945
1 of 20

Frank Lloyd Wright
SC Johnson Wax Headquarters, 1950. Photographed by Ezra Stoller
2 of 20

Paul Sharits
Frozen Film Frame, (Detail) Foto- Nils Klinger
3 of 20

Vanessa Redgrave wearing Oscar de la Renta
Image by Bert Stern, Vogue 1967
4 of 20

De Pas D'Urbino Lomazzi
Blow Inflatable Armchair, 1967
5 of 20

Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in LA), 1991
6 of 20
Beth Levine
The Stocking Shoe, 1960's
7 of 20

Jim Lambie
Installation at the Fruitmarket Gallery, 2014
9 of 20

Christian Dior
1967 Couture
10 of 20
Donyale Luna
British Vogue Editorial, March 1966
11 of 20

Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann
Velvet fabric, 1913
12 of 20

Frank Lloyd Wright
SC Johnson Wax Headquarters, 1950
13 of 20

Eero Saarinen
Miller House, with Interiors by Alexander Girard, 1953
14 of 20
Josef Frank
"Loops" on Linen
15 of 20

Niki De Saint Phalle
Mini Nana Acrobate, 1968
16 of 20

Niki De Saint Phalle
Untitled (Nana), 1968
17 of 20

Niki De Saint Phalle
Sphinx, 1975
18 of 20

The Kaleidoscope Pavilion at Expo '67
Montréal, Canada
19 of 20
