Watch Unarchived Runway Footage From Raf Simons FW01 "Riot! Riot! Riot!"
The titular anti-fashion collection from the Belgian designer.
Arguably the peak of anti-fashion, Raf Simons’ Fall/Winter collection from 2001, dubbed “Riot! Riot! Riot!,” has gone on to shape much of the current archive landscape, delivering a slew of grail-worthy pieces such as the coveted, and stupendously expensive, camouflage patched bomber. The collection marked the Belgian designer’s return to the runway after a year-long sabbatical, featuring a bevy of industrial-infused, hyper-stylized looks that portrayed the radical spectrum of counter-culture youth. It was a clear departure from his earlier work — one premised on slim, tightly-tailored silhouettes — aptly sculpting the iconic designer’s legacy in the realm of modern fashion. In a new video presented by YOURARCHIVEFASHION, rare runway footage of the infamous show has now surfaced, giving fans an in-depth look at Simons’ cthonic vision.
Described as “terrorist chic” by The Guardian fashion editor Charlie Porter, the collection was set in an eerie, damp warehouse, featuring an entourage of scaffolding, flashing lights, and fog that played into Simons’ techno-dystopia. The soundtrack followed this, whereby Simons enlisted a slew of hard-hitting, psychedelic-leaning industrial techno and electro. The collection was chock full of anti-fashion highlights, from horizontally-striped sweaters that featured incendiary images to oversized, military-style jackets and parkas, even plastering Marxist slogans on a variety of shirts. If there’s one collection that’s managed to completely epitomize youth rebellion, it’s Simon’s “Riot! Riot! Riot!,” and the rare video provided above showcases how the renowned designer pioneered counter-culture within high fashion.
In related news, does Prada really need Raf Simons?
