The American Dream, Raf Simons-style
Raf Simons’ continuing love affair with Americana informs the much-coveted CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC SS18 collection
Under the visionary eye of chief creative officer Raf Simons, the new CALVIN KLEIN 205W39NYC is flying high. The SS18 collection is the Belgian’s second for the US label, and the latest chapter of Simon’s sartorial riff on Americana. And it’s easy to see how the genre-defining label was the hottest ticket at New York Fashion Week, and is taking its place in every closet among fashion’s most stylish.
The collection was unveiled on the runway last September against the backdrop of an installation conjured by long-time Simons collaborator, artist Sterling Ruby, whose mix of cheerleader pom-poms, streamers and flags brushed up in an eerie fashion alongside slasher movie motifs. It neatly summed up the theme of the show: a cinematic-inspired mix of dream and nightmare “It’s about American horror and American beauty,” says Simons. “Fashion tries to hide the horror and embrace only beauty. But they are both a part of life. This collection is a celebration of that: a celebration of American life.”
The theme was artfully woven through the collection, in the hints of cowboy, the ’50s flourishes, graphic prints in collaboration with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and horror movie iconography. But Simons has a masterful hand for honing in on a strong theme while creating clothes that are still infinitely wearable, mixing the simplicity for which Calvin Klein has long been championed with directional, of-the-moment appeal. No wonder then, that he has such a dedicated following amongst the world’s most stylish; a scan of the show’s front row highlighted icons, from Millie Bobby Brown and Lupita Nyong’o to Kate Bosworth and Christina Ricci.
You’ll find a smorgasbord of statement-making, stand-alone pieces to play with when you introduce them to your closet. There’s the contrast-pocket, Western-inspired shirt (fast becoming a signature; it popped up on the FW18 runway too) in SS18 reimagined in satin and off-kilter color blocking. And the plastic mac, a perfect marriage of the Instagram fashion moment and day-to-day practicality, and ripe for layering over your pretty floral dresses. Masculine shirts over a polo neck, tucked into belted, tailored pants are so seamlessly in tune with the zeitgeist that the silhouette has filtered firmly into the real world. So take note.
The accessories, too, are set to be the classics of the future: you’ll want to wear the cowboy boots – the runway shape of the season – in high silver and patent red on repeat. And the bags: from clean-lined buckets and elevated carry-everything-everywhere totes, to ladylike shoulder bags with tough-edged chain straps, all have the air of a wear-forever favorite. Invest now and channel your very own American dream.