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20 July 2007

Raf Simons Autumn/Winter Collection 2007-2008: Men's Fashion in Black

I live in San Francisco where a multitude of strange subcultures coexist. However one that has never taken a foothold which I think would give the city a new dimension is what I will refer to as Nazi Couture. In one sense, I imagine Nazi Couture as a group of self absorbed young males who are in their mid twenties. They experienced a life of political correctness so they battle this by waxing their hair back into a fine sheen, keeping their physiques impeccably sculptured, and generally looking menacing. Their clothes would undoubtedly need to project this image of sexy SS officer, and what better designer to look towards than Raf Simons.

His Autumn Winter 2007/2008 collection is so overtly Nazi Couture (I would almost refer to the collection as being very “trenchcoat mafia” in style but then this analogy kept grating on me in its pimple faced gawkiness). What defines the style in my mind is an aggressive, copious use of black. Mr. Simons uses black leather, black wool, black vinyl, black silk, and anything laying around that is black. The black, in Raf’s collection is made of several layers of black juxtaposed on to yet more blacks to create and even deeper and more effective blackness. It’s the kind of black that if you saw a man wearing one of Raf Simons’ ensembles on the street you would be afraid that he would come up to you and spank you on the ass and call you a dirty jew. What’s worse, the clothes are so perfectly cut and seductive that you’d want that person to spank you on the ass.

Not to over use the Nazi Couture thing too much, but I just wanted to point out one other theme in Mr. Simons’ collection that is in my mind Nazi-ish… or at least the superficial, fetishistic perception of Nazis getting dressed up for a really good party… and that is that Raf Simon’s collection includes a number of half and full arm length shiny black leather gloves as accessories to his clothes. They look eerily like cattle gloves, but are quite effective in the intimidation factor.

Raf Simons Autumn/Winter Collection 2007-2008: Men's Fashion in Black

Object: Autum Winter Collection 07-08

Designer: Raf Simons

URL: www.rafsimons.com

Lust Factor: Hot

5 Responses to “Nazi Couture: Raf Simons Autumn/Winter Collection 2007-2008”

  1. Veronica Says:

    Interesting opinion about this type of fashion. It is most definatly reminiscent of the WW2 time period. There is something very chic about a double breasted jacket. I find it fabulous.

  2. Design Crack » Blog Archive » G-STAR RAW: Denim as Couture Says:

    […] I included G-STAR RAW to the Crack List simply because I’ve never seen denim treated so expertly. Where I live in San Francisco there are only two ways recognized as fashionable for denim: there is the teenage hip-hop style of wearing jeans around your ankles (how can you run from police with your jeans like that?!), and there is the pencil thin ’80s style of wearing denim where each pair of jeans sold comes complete with a fixed gear bicycle. Now, there is a third fashionable way to wear denim thanks to G-STAR RAW. This company allows me to wear the most comfortable of fabrics as if you were an extra in a 1940’s noir film. The styles for this recent collection are no less than phenomenal. Complex jackets are mixed with fedoras and elbow length gloves all styles that would normally smack of Cory Feldman circa 1989, and fortunately for G-STAR RAW that’s not at all what it looks like. In fact this collection feels a bit more like The Raf Simmons collection I pondered a while back except this one’s in Denim. […]

  3. pozzi Says:

    you people are so full of it in your stupid san francisco subculture hub. damn mulitcultural metropolis, in fact as much you are so absorbed in your subcultural attitude that fashion must seem extremely weird to you. try berlin for real subcultures and nazi couture as well. mr. simons techno- crats are by far the most innovative fashion designs in a long time. try a book about real nazi dress for a change and then form your opinion…

  4. Brandon Thomas Baunach Says:

    That is a fair opinion. I think I chose the title of this article simply for the shock value. I certainly like the clothes. I would wear raf simmons’ clothing if I had the opportunity. So, what I’m saying is that this article was a stupid title. My apologies for this. You must admit that on a visceral level that the clothing looks menacing. Sort of a futuristic mafioso.

  5. yulik Says:

    yeah, whoever wrote this article is a fucking idiot
    no shit
    get over yourself

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