Raf Simons In Conversation With Hans Ulrich Obrist: Plotting An Artistic Future

Raf Simons has progressed menswear in more ways than one. For nearly a quarter of a century, the Belgian designer — known as an oracle of subcultural youth — has introduced artists, musicians, and interior designers to an entire generation looking to connect with culture beyond fashion. These creative partnerships that define Simons’ collection lie at the root of his approach. This is what makes his recent appointment as co-creative director of Prada — a brand itself deeply rooted in anti-fashion and a pioneer in subversively merging art with clothing — so fitting. The fantasy coupling between Simons and Miuccia Prada will become a reality at last when Simons joins the Italian house in early April, their joint first collection debuting in September in Milan. In the ever-shifting fashion industry that has become dominated by marketeers and merchandisers, the hire marks a hopeful shift from individual creative authorship to collaborative creation, and from meaningless product to provoking, culturally-significant fashion that speaks beyond the logo it bears. Read more at Highsnobiety.