Clothing

Raf Simons and Fred Perry Link for a Punk-Inspired Paraphernalia-clad Collection

For the first time since 2020, Fred Perry and Raf Simons have joined forces again to celebrate the DIY community that surrounds the two brands 

Take one look at the pictures below. What do you see? Aside from the slight heroin chic inclinations, there’s an obvious reference to bands, to music, and to venues, all neatly encapsulated by the bespoke badges and printed patches. The twist? The bands, slogans, and references are all fictional. 

In an era where Primark can print a Ramones t-shirt – and therefore, where: “Oh, you like X, name every Y” is a prevalent meme format – the validity of real bands as points of cultural identity is waning. Raf and Fred Perry want to show that it isn’t just the bands that are important, but the communities and subcultures that grew around them. By highlighting the DIY elements – the embroidery, the patchwork, the safety pins – Raf and Fred Perry are bringing the community’s sense of identity to the forefront. 

All the items from the collection are decorated with ephemera designed by Tom Tosseyn, where the sentimentality of youth subculture is celebrated. 

The collection features long and oversized shirts, v-necks, sweaters, as well as core bits like t-shirts and hoodies. Simple items like this patch cotton workshirt are elevated to new heights by the Belgian designer, who upgrades the Laurel Wreath embroidery with metal pins and stand-out badges. 

View the whole collection at John Anthony. 

Raf Simons x Fred Perry at John Anthony.

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