RUNWAY: Raf Simons FW18

There was a Flemish bacchanal on display at Raf Simons' FW18 showspace: a myriad of empty wine and champagne bottles littered the floor while a feast of fruits, vegetables and bread were accompanied with lush floral arrangements. The sense of opulence belied the serious nature of Simons' inspiration: Christiane F. and her story of falling in love with drugs and a drug dealer. It's no surprise that Simons' namesake collection then offered clothes with words like "DRUGS", "XTC" and "LSD" but he wasn't promoting it, instead, coupled with the excesses on display from the showspace, he offered a cautionary tale on drug use. The timing of this narrative could be in reaction to the Opioid crisis gripping large swathes of the United States. How did this translate into the clothes? There were chunky combat boots, latex gloves and slouchy coats that gave a clinical vibe while stitched together knits added a surreal element to the collection. In all, the narrative was far stronger than the clothes which, out of context, seems to be celebrating and promoting drug use. It must also be stated that a portion of the sales of this FW18 collection will go towards organizations that help treat addiction while the food on display will be donated to City Harvest, a nonprofit organization that feeds hungry New Yorkers.