Welcome to the 65th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we deconstruct the layered symbolism behind “Corpo”, Raf Simons’ 7 piece graduate furniture collective.
A famed designer and respected creative, Raf Simons’ legacy has appeared to snowball over the past decade. Now regarded at the heights of his career, the anti-fashion trailblazer has shadowed his rooting history in furniture design, only recently brought to light after a $100k listing popped up on @grailed. Coined the Corpo “Protection” stand-alone piece, the item raised a lot of questions and went semi-viral as a result.
Graduating from the SHIVKV in Genk, 1991 with a degree in Industrial Design and Furniture, Simons was enlisted to present a thesis statement as a final project. Choosing the name “Corpo” to headline his collection, the designer, much like the translation, surrounded an investigation of the body. Through abstract craft and raw materials, 7 cabinets were created in symbolism of the human shell, digging deep into the alluding physical and theoretical constructs.
When gazing over the brutalist extremities composing the anatomy of Raf Simons work, we are forced to analyze, critique and examine the structural framework found both outside, and within. The designer reinterprets our perceptions of fashion through the stagnance of furniture design, speaking on the notions and theory we build upon.
Labeled Protection, Beauty, Female Body, Male, X-Ray, Ornament and Snake Skin, Simons uses a variety of metaphors such as slim, model-like legs to emulate the traditions of runway fashion. Cinching corsets appear on both Male and Female Body in reference to the modified silhouette we’ve become accustomed to, whereas interior pockets are lined with the articulate need for utility in menswear.
Mesh weaving is found in the likes of Beauty as the Belgian creative breaks down the most basic remedies, contrasted with the warm leather hues of Second Skin. Paired with reversible python skin, it’s clear Raf Simons is deconstructing our ideals of design, and doing so effortlessly.
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