Raf Simons has been one of the central pillars of streetwear and men’s fashion for decades. With an underground, subculture-surfing sense of aesthetic, it comes as no surprise that Off-White designer Virgil Abloh to Kanye West (who clearly pasted Simons’ Spring 2002 looks into his Yeezy Season 1 mood board) have declared themselves devout disciples of Simons.
As inevitable as the hoards of cultish fans is the polymath’s ongoing collaboration with Fred Perry, the menswear brand that became British teen mods and skinheads’ wardrobe essential back in the ‘70s. Started in 2008, Simons has since teamed up with the label to create staples where his bold European modernism is seamed together with Brit youth culture energy.
This season, Simons’ fifteenth collection for the brand borrows and tones down details from the Belgian designer’s eponymous line without losing its unorthodox-cool appeal. Case in point: Simons’ legendary photo-patched denim shirt now sports an understated Fred Perry wreath. The original shirt’s eccentricity is pared down, yet the result doesn’t compromise the underlying DIY-feel.
Fred Perry’s classic shirt also becomes the collection’s recurring foundation. The pique shirt is rendered with a Simons-esque graphic colour palette of red, black and white. And adopting the utilitarian trend, denim gets infused onto collars, cuffs and yokes; or elbow patches on sweaters.
Available in stores now, you can get your Spring 2017 dose of Raf Simons x Fred Perry at Club 21b, Forum The Shopping Mall.
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