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
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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
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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
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Beth Levine
The Stocking Shoe, 1960's
7 of 20
Jim Lambie
Installation at the Fruitmarket Gallery, 2014
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Christian Dior
1967 Couture
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Donyale Luna
British Vogue Editorial, March 1966
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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
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Josef Frank
"Loops" on Linen
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Niki De Saint Phalle
Mini Nana Acrobate, 1968
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Niki De Saint Phalle
Untitled (Nana), 1968
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Niki De Saint Phalle
Sphinx, 1975
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The Kaleidoscope Pavilion at Expo '67
Montréal, Canada
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