Raf Simons Fall/Winter 2016

One of the key trends for Fall 2016 was spotted at the Raf Simons show in Paris, namely the highly anticipated Twin Peaks revival. References were scattered throughout the collection set in an industrial building a stone’s throw from the less than glamourous Place d’Clichy. Samples of Angelo Badalamenti’s soundtrack to the cult series were mixed with fragmented narratives as models walked along a black line making their way through the standing only audience as if they were trekking through the great Northwestern trees.

The collection entitled “Nightmares and Dreams” could easily be interpreted as the making of a man. Simons made an ode to the red Americana with a Belgium blue taint, playing on youth cliques that see an era marking the coming of age from school boys, boy scouts, and troubled high school youth to punks from the heartland of Tulsa, underground techno scene of Detroit, isolated Twin Peaks to the fictional Elm Street. It was a band of rejected runaways.

Gentlemanly tartan scarves and stripped collared shirts added a dash of masculinity to this variety while oversized knits emblazed with motifs, varsity letters, and puffy coats made strides straight out of the mid- nineties. The occasional warmth of orange of yellows broke up the color palette made up of midnight blues and dark Bordeaux.

While highly praised during his time at Dior, Simon’s passion and personality comes out most with his namesake brand, making it an exciting time to have him focus on it.