When Raf Simons exited Christian Dior in October 2015 after three and a half years at the creative reigns, the fashion rumour mill was in full swing, debating the designer's next venture.
But last summer, the fashion crowd was surprised to learn that the designer would take on the role as chief creative officer at Calvin Klein.
And admittedly, predecessor Francisco Costa, who exited the American fashion house in April 2016, left some pretty big shoes to fill.
But having re-branded Dior, Simons’ debut for Calvin Klein promised a re-think in aesthetic and it most certainly delivered.
Set in the Calvin Klein building just a stones throw from Times Square, Simons debuted his collection at New York Fashion Week in all its glory. And it was undeniably a stark contrast from the iconic minimalist hue coveted by predecessor Costa.
The show juxtaposed nostalgia with the new as Brooke Shields, the original ‘80s ‘nothing comes between me and my Calvins’ model, sat front row alongside fashion’s newest It darlings such as Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown.
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Set against artist Sterling Ruby’s installation, models marched out to the beat of David Bowie’s, ‘This Is Not America’. And it was every bit intentional as Simons wrote in the show notes: “It reflects the environment. All of these different people with different styles and dress codes. It’s the future, the past, Art Deco, the city, the American West…all of these things and none of these things. Not one era, not one thing, not one look. It is the coming together of different characters and different individuals, just like America itself. It is the unique beauty and emotion of America.”
And the garments re-invented what it means to be American in a turbulent political climate reigned by Trump. Wall Street suits, varsity jumpers, cowboy boots and sheriff’s jackets were re-interpreted - a symbol of a new type of patriotism.
The men and women’s garments purposefully mirrored one another, perhaps a sartorial indication of equal rights regardless of gender?
The collection conveyed the mood of the seventies with all black leather get-ups, dark wash denim and turtlenecks layered beneath western style shirts, while American flags lay beneath bed quilt-esque coats donned with steel-cap cowboy boots.
We cannot wait to see what else New York Fashion Week has in store.
Watch this space...