It’s the news Raf Simons fans have been waiting for – the hallowed designer is finally getting an exhibit. Covering the past 20 years of Simons’ career, it’s curated by none other than Simons’ longtime friend and collaborator Willy Vanderperre. The exhibit will focus on the partnership the two have forged over the years, from Simons’ first collection to more recent happenings.
Simons has always expressed an interest in art, so it seems fitting that this exhibit will be displayed in a gallery-like format. References to youth, always a source of fascination and inspiration for both Simons and Vanderperre have also influenced the design of the exhibit. Images from the Vanderperre-shot campaigns and editorials will be displayed in a gallery designed to look like the interior of a school locker, alongside stickers and skateboard decks. Music will also have its part, with differing soundtracks meant to represent both halves of the duo playing as one wanders through the setting.
Simons has had an illustrious career that has included the top design spot at Jil Sander and Dior. But his own label has always been a rebellion against the softness and elegance that womenswear sometimes demands. Images from his first collection in 1994 will be featured in the exhibit alongside those from collections as recent as 2013. The slightly cluttered display of photos evokes a familiar feeling, as though they had just been tacked up by Simons himself before heading out to see an underground band at the latest dive spot.
The Raf Simons exhibit curated by Willy Vanderperre will be on view at the 032c workshop in Berlin until August 21.
