With these two last male runway shows in Paris and Milan, Raf Simons is in new spheres. The creation of his brand Raf Simons for men more than ten years ago, following in 2005 with his nomination for Jil Sander designing collections, allow him to set up his aesthetic vision. Cutting edge young culture for his eponym brand, compared to minimalism straight silhouette with Jil Sander, we cannot help but wonder, what is the relationship between the two. Raf Simons is very clear minded about what a little brand represents in fashion industry and knows how to make it bigger, while keeping its identity and creativity. After climbing steps into the male wardrobe revolution of the last years, time has come for him to reinvestigate new perspectives on how to do fashion.
With his women’s collection for Jil Sander, the principle seems equal. The feat of strength represents a respect on the brand’s history, while keeping ideas of change and evolution. We asked him how he considered the relations between these very different women and men collections, and its future ideas. Surprise came from rational answers on how new brands grow in order to take care of costumers desires.
I would like first to congratulate you for this last Raf Simons show in Paris. The invitation, the hung mirrors that were going round on stage, as well as the evolution from conventional tailored suit, that was changing into more innovated silhouette: this last show aims to be about reflections and duality. How does it come about? This collection is very important, back to where we start almost fourteen years ago. At that time, I wanted to bring tailoring to young audiences, based on different kinds of fit and body. It was something I was watching on Versace. Then the first collection that was completely hand made, responded to this kind of young audience. The label evolves to an Avant-garde label, with construction on shaped forms and futurism silhouette. It struck me maybe 18 months ago, during model casting. I was watching 250 young guys, but I could not find just one piece that I wanted to restructure. I felt like the most radical thing I could do now in my career was to completely review tailoring and start from this view of being completely dressed. All the men cast were dressed like anything you could imagine, from street fashion to high fashion, but not like a very classical dress. This idea attracted me.
You seem to come to a watershed in your career... It is an important season for the mentality, but also for our team. I am 41 years old now and we do still concentrate on a young audience: what the needs are, compared to the needs of our clients. They always wanted a more classical wardrobe, but we never gave that to them. My belief in fashion is now a full concentration on reinterpreting tailoring. Maybe we were not ready to grow up, but now we are.
Raf Simons and Jil Sander shows have in common a sense of restructuring the male silhouette, especially with futuristic sleeves and large volumes. How do you make the difference between these two? Jil Sander is another world. The audience is not use to seeing this extreme silhouette. The two brands are around the same age. Jil Sander silhouette has always been very defined and straight. I want to show that this brand can also organise part of freedom in a more corporate dressing. You know, it is almost fifteen years that I am in the business. If I want to be another fifteen years, I have to build my own freedom.
How do you see the evolution of the male fashion industry? I think in male fashion, things need to change drastically right now, because if not, it’s just going to evolve to a garde robe homme , means shows with a little scarf and a little hat, beautiful material and complete composition. I am not interested in that. Even if this turn to classic costume in Raf Simons is not new for fashion industry, it looks far apart from our young audience. It is important to take a decision to stop being a young brand, maybe because I’m not young anymore...
Then how do you consider the Jil Sander brand and its history? Jil Sander is a brand I always respected, because I believe in purity, in the so-called minimalism and sobriety in the sense of brand mentally. It is the opposite of John Galliano for instance, which means not really staged.
It is clear that we will not find you on magazines covers... I am not this kind of person that has big desires to be on magazines, with my face everywhere. I have to, because it takes part of the business. I do not need the fashion world intruding on my life, because I certainly do not feel that fashion world can bring me a better life. I actually think the opposite: it can make your life more complicated.
Back to Jil Sander brand, I noticed new perspectives with this last spring season women’s collection... Jil Sander brand is all about space influences and shape restrictions. The house cannot continue for such a long time that way and it is important for me to bring the brand out of that restriction. It was Jil decision not to allow high heels, bags, accessories, history, but I am not like that. This last collection was a radical signal in my belief for the future of the brand: meaning and history, starting from the 1920 and 1930 with Africa cultural influences.
You are a very busy person, from Milan, to Paris and Antwerp. How do you juggle with these three cities and would have time to head another house? It’s insane but I get use to do it, thanks to people around me. But I do not think I can head another house. I have enough with these two...
You have also been teaching at Vienna from 2000 to 2005, collaborating for curating exhibitions at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and now do lots of collaboration with artists especially for the Raf Simons boutiques...Do these activities give you creative resources? Yes, I just opened two stores in Japan, one in Osaka, with the intervention of Roger Hiorns and in Tokyo, with Los Angeles based artist Sterling Ruby. It is a world where I have my best friends, that inspires me a lot.
Vu Models: Louis Fonlladosa @ Success and Agnes Buzala @ Next Pages 26, 30 and 31: Raf Simons Spring/Summer 09 collection Pages 28 and 29: Jil Sander Spring / Summer 09 collection