Welcome to the 36th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we flow through the deep melodic undertones of Raf Simons’ career, dissecting the symbolism and homage paid to English rock band Joy Division, and the hyper-futuristic, rock-esque genre that trailed.
Raf Simons resides as a Belgian native, pushing the envelope of modern expectation through past and present collections. His eccentric ideologies have helped shape the archives of today, using motifs and reference as a catalyst to his design. Simons’ has an acute manner of pulling core elements from his youth and reinterpreting such within his work, most commonly seen through music.
Artists such as Joy Division, David Bowie and the Sex Pistols are no strangers to Simons’ runway, tracing back to the earliest days of the designer’s timeline. Growing up a new wave enthusiast, post-punk riffs and strug out melodies were the nuance of Raf Simons adolescence, so prominently seen in collections like Fall 1998 “Radioactivity”, or Fall 2003 “Closer”. In either, direct reference to European rock is blatantly askew, subsequently bridging the gap between viewer and artist.
While assuming a mark of either composer, Simons is able to gauge a distinct point of similarity among his viewership, making each design intimate to those onlooking. By incorporating album covers like Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures”, or “Still” in Spring ‘03, he blends artistry with expert ideals, telling a story of his childhood through every motif. His authentic love for the underground drives the apparent consumer basis Simons’ work retains. Even in recent collections like Spring ‘21 he continues to push Joy Division singles like “Isolation” and “Disorder” into the limelight.
Despite his most frequented backing of Ian Curtis’, Joy Division, Raf Simons’ array of new wave personas reaches far and wide, speaking to that of German techno band Kraftwerk as well as CJ Bolland. The Belgian designer has perfected the art of reference, seen through art, music and techno-youth culture.
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