Whilst reinventing Calvin Klein using the past as his source of inspiration, Raf Simons is taking his own label into the opposite direction, looking towards the future to create ultra-modern mode. Men dressed in vinyl rain macs are accessorised with transparent umbrellas and Asian inspired headwear created with patterned materials, boasting a collection appropriate for a unisex audience. The Chinatown setting, referencing the SS18 runway location, is created through neon Chinese lanterns joined by retro technology, symbolising an alternative, apocalyptic world.
Whilst Manchester bands Joy Division and New Order are explicitly referenced through visuals and text in the campaign, there is an unquestionable sense of Blade Runner, running throughout the images. It may be no coincidence then that such fashions are beginning to trend just a year before the Blade Runner film is supposed to be set (2019 LA). On second glance at the full campaign, it becomes clear that a hologram seen in two separate spreads spells out the world ‘REPLICANT’, confirming the Blade Runner vibe of the SS18 season.
