***Finally an Official Baller sneaker thread ($300 minimum)***

[Razele]

@Hendrix

Man have you even seen old raf? It's kinda easy to compare old to new when the new is really average. It's not bad, it's just not nearly as good as his old stuff. I'm a big Raf fanboi and I can even see the decline. Jil is so good yet mainline is so bad, its pretty lulzy.

It's perfectly normal to compare past seasons, designers work doesn't exist in a vacuum.

@Nahneun

I would say is new stuff is way more conservative for the most part but much more wearable. Because it's more conservative the people that liked the 'new look' got pretty cut. There is heaps of early Raf and Mid 2000's Raf I would love, and I pick up quite a few pieces from these era's. Sneaks have stayed good, though the prices have gone up heaps.

 

[KitAkira]

We're treading dangerously close to the "clothes are art vs. clothes are functional" argument

 

[Razele]

Aren't they both? I never understood that argument.

 

[nahneun]

Originally Posted by KitAkira

We're treading dangerously close to the "clothes are art vs. clothes are functional" argument
Runway is more about the art, IMO. It's more about representing the vision of the designer. That's my guess as to why the more edgy runway pieces never make it to the store. @Razele: True, but you make smaller dividends making extreme, groundbreaking revolutionary clothing pieces. In the end, most designers are designers so they can make a living, not because they want to pursue fashion for the sake of fashion. You'd starve if the mass don't buy your clothes. Haute couture is mostly dead. Consumerism = rise of pret-a-porter

 

[Razele]

Yeah I know

Raf by Raf when it started out was ment to be all the old dope **** redone but it just turned into heaps of jean washes and jersey basics.

I totally agree about needing to make a buck, which is why I think Margiela's idea of different lines within a concept was really good. You can still do the artisinal kops whilst having plenty of space left for basics and easily wearable pieces.

 

[jet]

people who like all the new **** usually do so because they weren't around or don't have knowledge of the old ****

 

[hendrix]

Originally Posted by Razele

@Hendrix

Man have you even seen old raf? It's kinda easy to compare old to new when the new is really average. It's not bad, it's just not nearly as good as his old stuff. I'm a big Raf fanboi and I can even see the decline. Jil is so good yet mainline is so bad, its pretty lulzy.

It's perfectly normal to compare past seasons, designers work doesn't exist in a vacuum.

nah i haven't. i read some "15 seasons of Raf" thing on some blog someone linked a while ago which was pretty cool.

i think i liked the 2005 season most.


can't really be bothered properly going through the previous seasons, but i'm sure they're great. I just don't really care since i won't be able to find the pieces anyway.

 

[impolyt_one]

2005 Raf S/S and F/W were both very solid, very wearable, tons of great pieces in those collections that are still completely relevant and highly desirable. Conceptually weaker than some earlier stuff he did, but he showed off a lot of technical skill in that collection.

 

[impolyt_one]

also, I believe FW05 might be the debut season for the velcro highs/lows that are still carried over to this day.

 

[Razele]

Isn't that the season with the double zip bomber? That **** is lava hot fire

 

[aeglus]

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

also, I believe FW05 might be the debut season for the velcro highs/lows that are still carried over to this day.

Just thought I'd say I really love those velcro lows, they're getting a lot of wear and compliments. So much better looking in person/worn than in most pics.

 

[the shah]

Originally Posted by hendrix

can't really be bothered properly going through the previous seasons, but i'm sure they're great. I just don't really care since i won't be able to find the pieces anyway.
raf archives (old stuffs you can buy) http://www.ln-cc.com/men/raf-simons-...cat/rafsimons/

 

[thekunk07]

yeah, and Raf made a calculated decision to move to a more "mature" direction, i.e., he's spread too thin and the collections now are just suiting with some fobby **** thrown in for eastern europeans.

Originally Posted by jet

people who like all the new **** usually do so because they weren't around or don't have knowledge of the old ****

 

[theom-]

Originally Posted by shahanshah

raf archives (old stuffs you can buy)
http://www.ln-cc.com/men/raf-simons-...cat/rafsimons/

 

[sq4you]

Originally Posted by hendrix

having said that, i'd say the type of people who bought $2000 knits back then would still buy them now. $2000 for anything other than a leather or a suit is only going to be bought by the very very wealthy, and the recession hasn't really changed that IMO. Obviously not including sales etc

well, you can read any news article about the recession affecting the fashion industry and you will see this is not true.

from various articles:

New York Fashion Week opens tomorrow and the impact the recession is having on the fashion industry will be unmissable. Even the big name designers"”Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang, et al."”have drastically scaled back their collections in order to cut costs. For some labels this means cutting guest lists and canceling parties, for others it means showing smaller collections outside the tents.

One Fashion Week attendee said: "Normally, it's like, I want the funky shoes and the funky bag and it's not like that anymore."

Designers have been creating their collections against a backdrop of a stagnant retail market, soaring fuel prices and a battered stock market. They've had to ask themselves, in a down economy, "How do you grin and wear it?"

It forced big name designer Isaac Mizrahi to take a reality check.

"Before you start working on a collection you think, 'Oh right, people have no money to buy things, so how am I going to make them interested,'" said designer Isaac Mizrahi.

New collections are emphasizing timelessness and versatility, eye-popping color, pretty prints and accessories like bags and chunky jewelry - pieces that can spice up existing wardrobes.

So some high-end designers are jumping on the bandwagon, targeting budget consumers in lower-priced venues.