Raf Simons “Virginia Creeper”
The ideas presented around Raf Simons’ AW02 collection were set out to explore the relationship between humans and nature. Illustrated by its reference to the pest plant the “Virginia Creeper,” a five-leaved ivy species of flowering vines found across the Americas that kills off neighboring plants in urban landscapes it frequents.
To capture the invasive nature of the Virginia Creeper, Simons produced each piece of clothing from this collection using special chemical treatments that would eat away at the garment as time passed. Many of the garments that resurface from this collection are naturally torn and faded, yet beautiful.
Twenty years after its release and Virginia Creeper's influence is still as relevant as it was in 2002. Many of the silhouettes, treatments, and patterns used for this collection have been reproduced numerous times by industry giants looking to recreate Simons’ vision but to no avail.