MAXIMALISM

So it's my last day in Milan today, where I was reporting from the shows for Dazed Digital. Probably the biggest highlight of my stay was seeing the Jil Sander collection on the runway - a beautiful meditation on simplicity and volume that bears couture elements without overbearing the dresses with frills or heavy stones. The combination of Hitchock's "Psycho" soundtrack and Busta Rhymes added to the austere atmosphere of the clothes. I was very lucky to interview Raf Simons after the show for Dazed.



Dazed Digital: Could you tell us a bit more about your inspiration?

Raf Simons: What started me thinking about this collection was the ongoing discussion about new minimalism. I sat down with my team and thought: why not do the opposite? So we decide to focus on “maximalism”. That later brought us to couture. I guess I’ve always been interested in couture and what it means to society. At the same time, I didn’t want to have the excess of couture, because it wouldn’t suit the line.

DD: So did you implement the couture influences on the RTW collection?

Raf Simons: I focused on its form language – the lenghts, the proportions. I also wanted to combine it with a street element, so I paired the skirts with the simple parkas and t-shirts.

DD: Where did the Hitchcock reference come from?

Raf Simons: I used a lot of nylons and bright colours in the collection, but I still wanted my woman to look quite stern. I love the women in Hitchcock movies, because they’re just that.

Backstage picture by Morgan O'Donovan