Raf Simons, the guest of honor at the 90th edition
of Italian men’s wear trade fair Pitti Uomo, presented his Spring/Summer
2017 collection to much fanfare on Thursday, June 16. For his catwalk
showcase, Simons transformed the Stazione Leopolda in Florence into a
department store a la Simons. The former head designer of Dior was
inspired by the work of the American cult photographer Robert Mapplethorpe,
who photographed mostly nude male models, still lifes and
flowers. Simons incorporated several photographs of Mapplethorpe work in
its entirety onto several designs in his collection.
“Florence has a special place in my heart,” said Raf Simons in a press
statement. The Belgian fashion designer previously presented his work at
Pitti Uomo, in 2003, during an exhibition of the Italian artist Francesco
Bonami. Two years later, he hosted a presentation for his
own namesake fashion label in the city, and in 2010 Simons showcased Jil
Sander’s new collection as the label’s creative director at Pitti.
FashionUnited will focus on the menswear catwalk season during the month of
June, by featuring exclusive and in-depth coverage on Men’s Fashion Weeks.
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Images: Raf Simons PR