Raf shuttering RS after 27 years is really interesting. The man build up a world within RS that leveraged subcultures and subversion to their absolute ends. So much of it I loved, so much of it was incredibly influential, but as our greater world of subcultures dissolved the impact that those worlds bring to a brand like RS evaporate. It’s in the subversion of the uniform, the subversion of the office, the school, the street, that has become commonplace much due large acceptance…
Joseph Keefer
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Grew up on harDCore// Fashion Consultant & Creative Director. https://JKeefer.co // #Arsenal AST member// https://runway360.cfda.com/designers/jkeefer
@jquillin yawn. Also he’s been rather outspoken about building his own world through Jacquemus. Several people on Twitter have been throwing around some names, many of them imo illfitted for that role. Charaf Tajer would be a very interesting fit Imo especially with what he’s built with Casablanca.
@jquillin @SethPFR press is incredibly challenging. Fortunately I’ve started working with an old friend to chip away at that for my personal brand JKEEFER. For my agency KFR Studio I’m less concerned as it’s b2b and we feel quite good with how we’re building there. But investment would and a tool for investment into our brands would be game changing.
@jquillin @SethPFR as one of those designers I’ve set up my own infrastructure for supporting my brand and others. While the financial element is still missing (and needed) we’ve created a work flow for production, development, strategy and wholesale. If there was more institutional support it would make a massive difference for my brand and our other brands.
The customer is typically younger at this point and very sales trained. Without the adidas collab pumping S/T numbers for retailers or a fragrance business the RS business had two ways to go and he chose the more RS aligned way, closing. Thank you for them memories Raf Simons. #rafsimons #raf
He’s shown versatility but throughout he’s created in his lexicon. Raf transcended to the top organically. IMO the brand was at a breaking point. Either take on additional investment(absorbed into Prada) and blow up with mono brand RS stores in NYC, London, LA, Paris, etc, or revert into something smaller and more manageable. RS’s distribution was tight, the sales paltry for RTW…
…and fanhood of Raf or Heidi or Helmut or Martin. Raf manipulated ideas into high fashion menswear, ideas found in worlds that inspired him, Madchester in particular, American filmmaking, modern art, ideas that shaped him. It’s been beautiful to watch at times, others less so, but important and impactful throughout. Raf Simons as a label will remain an important trailblazer. An underground icon that made it to the biggest stages in our world, Dior, Prada, Jil, Calvin.
@ChristinaBinkley that’s a beautiful sourdough
@ChristinaBinkley @SethPFR yes Tiffany took an interest out of the gate and introduced the brand to a number of people. It was amazing of her