The Evolution of Raf Simons

Might we cast one more red herring into the already dizzying chronicle of arrivals and departures within Paris' couture houses? Sure, we've all mourned the loss of Galliano, and have debated Marc Jacobs and Haider Ackerman's potential, but we here at Vagabond want to put in our bid for Raf Simons at Dior. Suzy Menkes got us thinking when she ignited mass hysteria with her allusion to Simons taking the reins at YSL, and after mulling it over we feel that the only logical place for Raf to go after showing three blockbuster seasons in a row at Jil Sander is to serve at the helm of the house of Dior. Listen up, Mr. Toledano, and buy your Raf-fle tickets now.

He almost single-handedly brought bright hues back into the fashion lexicon this past Spring 2011 -- casting the hemlines low and clashing blocks of color in a directional display that set the front row pundits aflame with gasps of: "stripes!" "brights!" "floor-sweeping-skirts!" We like that no matter how playful Simons gets, his ideas are always refined and referential; distilling numerous influences through his minimal perspective (just as Jil herself would have wanted it, we imagine).

This collection made such an impact, the reverberations are sure to be felt all the way into Spring 2012. Here, a 90s Yves Saint Laurent Pink Maxi Dress Halter that not only follows through on Sander's floor sweeping maxim, but highlight's fashion's erogenous zone of the moment: the midriff.

Giving us another light-handed approach this Fall, Simons further indulged his fascination with couture, exploring Balenciaga inspired silhouettes and cozy separates that called to mind Audrey Hepburn's costumes in the 1963 movie Charade. The sporty knitwear played a good foil to Simon's affinity for solid separates, proving that this girl has a quirky side to spite her good manners.

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A Look From Cristobal Balenciaga's Spring Summer 1961 Haute Couture 

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Spring 2012 was yet another coup for Raf Simons. The last installment in his "couture trilogy," this collection was yet another ode to the graceful screen heroines of yesteryear -- shunning nostalgia by way of tongue-in-check takes on iconic styles. Dior's New Look and the cool beauty of Grace Kelly were strong influences this season, and that restrained sensuality was present even in the more modern, clinical all-white looks that the show opened with.

 

While Simon's clearly couldn't resist a visit back to the old maxi-skirt-and-simple-top combo that began this whole odyssey, it somehow felt right, as if over these last few seasons, the Sander girl has gone from fresh innocence to serene wisdom.

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VNYC's take on Jil Sander's austere romanticism for Spring 2012: Charles Anastase cotton/silk blouse with skull detail buttons

In retrospect, one is able to view these past three collections as a whole opus, illustrating the maturation of Raf Simon's as a designer. He has found a strong voice that speaks to the movement of fashion, and has shown a deftness for couture ready to wear. Positioning himself well amidst the venerable fashion houses in today's market, Simons' skilled workmanship and vision has proven his ability to gain profits as well as prominence for Jil Sander. His designs are twists on timelessness, and, given the opportunity, we believe he would flourish even further at Dior.

Most Wanted: Jil Sander's Floral Bag

A charming print updated in techno hues makes for the perfect spring tote from Jil Sander.

Jil Sander Floral Print Silk Bag-$740 at Net-A-Porter.com

Get it Now: Spring's Vibrant Fruit Print

The old catch phrase "Fresh & Fruity" may have never sounded as enticing as it did on numerous runways for Spring/Summer 2011, from Prada to Stella McCartney, optical prints were given a sugary-sweet kick via super-sized graphic fruit prints. Why not get a leg in on the action with our more affordable, rare & collectible alternative, this 80's era Gianni Versace fruit printed silk blouse? After all, there's nothing better than hitting a season's trend on the mark in your own, less obvious way.

Stella McCartney & Prada S/S 2011, above.


80's Gianni Versace Silk Fruit Print Blouse-$328

Best of Couture Spring 2011

A look at the Spring 2011 Haute Couture shows only leads one to further reevaluate the basic relevance of Couture yet again. While half of the nine designers presumably attempted to maintain Couture's stale red-carpet appeal, the others managed to produce tepid extensions of their own banal signatures without a single inclination of moving things forward. That being said, the true wizardry of Couture at least lives on in the craftsmanship of the few stand-out collections. And while the few favorites we do have for the season couldn't escape there own banalities, there was still plenty to applaud and admire.


Givenchy(and, above)-
Ricardo Tisci's confidence at Givenchy continues to thrive beyond the need for exploration as he is becoming an increasingly indulgent master of his own domain. For him Couture may be an outlet for gratuitously highlighting his much beloved signatures with thousands of hours of treatments, but for the Chambre Syndicale, in our books, he is currently Couture's most important man.

Bouchra Jarrar-
Newcomer Bouchra Jarrar is currently the only woman in Couture and while there's need for improvement for this Balenciaga vet, she does have a handle on spare, sensible pieces with a graphic strength.

Valentino-


Like Ricardo Tisci at Givenchy, Pier Paolo Piccioli and co-designer Maria Grazia Chiuri have quickly assembled a strong vision for the Valentino girl and Spring's effort was an ethereal update to their many signatures. And like at Givenchy, while the shapes and neutral palette relied on soft simplicity, the true focus lie in rigorous craftsmanship.

Take a look at every one of our favorite Spring 2011 Haute Couture looks here.

Most Wanted: Balenciaga's S/S 2011 Watch

One can never have enough Balenciaga in their lives and one of us doesn't think they can go on without the house's first-ever timepieces for S/S 2011. Not only do they emulate Nicolas Ghesquiere's signature take on modern luxury with a sci-fi bent, they also happen to smartly cross the cuff vs. skinny watch divide.

Balenciaga Watches about $1,445

Best of Spring 2011

Here's a round-up of our favorite Spring/Summer 2011 collections, ones that are destined to inspire our future buys.

Alexander McQueen(and above).


The lighter hand that Sarah Burton has brought to McQueen is destined to bring the house new devotees now that the wearability factor has expanded. Besides the expected craftsmanship, digital prints and Edwardian drama, Burton's take on ra-ra skirts, the high-low dress and the shoulder, now slashed, were winners in our books.

Jil Sander




So many things come to mind when looking at Raf Simon's blockbuster collection for Jil Sander Spring 2011. For one, he is the right man for the job(in case you hadn't noticed before), for another, this may have been his best collection at the house ever. Why? Because it's clear that after five years, Simons is confident enough to take the house codes in a new direction while continuing to cater to it's most ardent fans. Now he can make both sides of the fashion world happy with a collection that took what Isaac Mizrahi did with evening wear in the early 90's(juxtaposing old-world couture notions with uniform pieces such as a denim jacket), mixing it with a hyper color palette that could rival Yves Saint Laurent's and his own knack for what you could call intense techno-couture. He opened with a passage of vivid variations on maxi skirts with attached white tee's that made a strong case for minimalism having the ability to make a big impact. He moved on to maxi parachute dresses, some in optical contrasting stripes, followed by a series of origami folded pieces(ones that could make Helmut Lang proud), and layered jackets, three at a time, all contrasting, all ultra-thin, over today's ubiquitous skinny pant. While the pieces retain the house's requisite codes for clean, cool sportswear, Simons may have just upped Jil Sander's status quo exponentially.

Celine



What can we say, we like many of you, can't get enough of what Phoebe Philo is doing at Celine and Spring's effort was once again, right on the money. Her focus on the confident woman is still there, but it was the collections take on the yetti coat's free-spirited rawness that felt fresh this time around. And while her covetable leather separates and crisp takes on the white button down made an appearance, we're especially keen on her new fluid pant.

Rodarte

The quirky Mulleavy sisters behind Rodarte have built a considerable following with breathtaking sci-fi couture quality options that place them in an entirely different arena stateside. They do what they want with such conviction and stand apart with such indifference, we for one, can't look at the craftsmanship and ethereal wizardry of each past collection without thinking that at this point, it's a no-brainer that they are gifted designers and have moved well past the "young" detractor. Problem is, while they do what they do obviously well, many of the pieces have had such a one-of-a-kind heirloom appeal to them that they seemed almost unapproachable. Well, the sisters delivered on that memo for Spring 2011 with a collection that was supposedly inspired by the interiors of the house they grew up in. This concept gave the duo a treasure trove of endearing prints to showcase, from a selection of wood-paneling prints to frothy ming vase inspired embroideries. Yet its genius factor came from its pieces patterns and silhouettes, making it their most wearable ever. Dotted high-waisted pants, layered skirts, cut-outs galore, are sure to lift the appeal of the label without overshadowing the distinct level of execution & the viewpoint these designers have made their own.

Erdem


You can always expect an appropriate amount of femininity packaged in an Erdem collection mixed into contemporary shapes for a look that's as easy on the eye as it is on the wear. Spring's notes included a bold palette of painterly botanical hues, lace, digital prints, maxi lengths and Peter Pan collars for looks that could look just as good on royalty as they could on a 20-something.

Best of Paris Spring 2011

As always, fashion season's don't get as exciting and inventive anywhere else as they do in Paris. Here's a look at our Spring/Summer 2011 favorites from the city of light, ones that are destined to inspire our future buys.

Celine(and above)



What can we say, we like many of you, can't get enough of what Phoebe Philo is doing at Celine and Spring's effort was once again, right on the money. Her focus on the confident woman is still there, but it was the collections take on the yetti coat's free-spirited rawness that felt fresh this time around. And while her covetable leather separates and crisp takes on the white button down made an appearance, we're especially keen on her new fluid pant.

Yves Saint Laurent


Stefano Pilati's Spring 2011 YSL collection was a calculated play on rejuvenating the house's codes with a seductive finesse that felt aggressively Parisian and sexually charged in it's severity. Here, charm came via the details: contrast flamenco ruffles, open backs, graphic cut-out waists and dropped shoulders.

Balenciaga


The sci-fi teddy boys that Nicolas Ghesquiere sent out for Spring 2011 had all the provocative and beautifully executed Balenciaga-isms one could hope for. This made for a less daring sense of the avant-garde, where the overall looks can be taken apart for an exciting range of rethought classics, from fitted tux jackets to crisp white button downs, fashion this realistic rarely looks this bold on a runway.

Rochas


Every season needs some vintage flair and Rochas romantic look at 70's Parisian maman chic felt fresh with it's powdery, muted colorway and relaxed fluidity. The pajama separates and fuss-free and unadorned bias cut goddess dresses with a 40's vibe that closed the show were a powerful display of Marco Zanini's vision of soft, subtle luxury.

Carven

Carven seems to have come back out of nowhere with a couple of smart, well-priced collections that present an insouciant Parisian girlishness that's at once arresting and realistic. Rethought relaxed separates came with just the right amount of Lolita loucheness and crisp preppiness, making Carven and it's $400 price points all the more desirable. Spring 2011 had the easy urbane wearability of a 3.1 Phillip Lim collection mixed with the attitude of Charles Anastase's coquettish girl.