01-29-15

Bold Stripes

I had mixed impressions about Raf Simon’s Spring-Summer 2015 Haute Couture Collection. Call me a classicist and a lover of true couture especially when it features extraordinary embroidery work, which the collection did have in small amounts. However, the plastic raincoats and mod, hallucinogenic patterned body suits didn’t quite cut it for me when it comes to beautiful couture. But I tend to be a traditionalist though overall I was intrigued and inspired by the collections modernity and innovativeness. However, the striped dresses really stood out for me. They were the perfect marriage of taking modernist patterns and colors and mixing them with timeless and pretty silhouettes. And the knee and thigh high boots added another unexpected edge. I have always loved stripes and the boldness of these brought to mind a few of my favorite modernist painters such as Kenneth Noland, Wyeth Alexander, Richard Diebenkorn and Josef Albers. Raf Simons is truly brilliant though. He is taking fashion into a new era while respecting and celebrating Haute Couture and simply beautiful clothes. His debut collection for Dior was extraordinary and had me gasping! See here.