Raf Simons didn’t always design clothes most of us could afford. In his wild youth he based shows on UFOs, Rubik’s Cubes, and Kraftwerk. Just months before September 11 he hosted a terrorism-themed show taking its title from a paraphrased Kerouac slogan: “Woe Unto Those Who Spit On The Fear Generation, For The Wind Will Blow It Back“ (check it out above). Other obsessions included Joy Division years before anyone had to put up with Interpol, and William S. Burroughs’ Interzone, long before Klaxons stuck a glowstick up our arses.

However, the last year and a half has seen Raf collaborate with a series of brands you probably wear anyway: Eastpak, Dr Martens and Fred Perry.

Raf’s Fred Perry collaboration

Before Raf worked over Eastpak’s bags, rucksacks were a little played out. But according to physiotherapists, rucksacks are meant to be good for your back and it’s important not to confuse rucksacks with manbags (even just thinking about the word “manbag” and the sort of people who call them that makes me want to write a letter to my dad apologising for being involved in fashion), so let’s welcome their rebirth.

Raf’s work with Fred Perry and Dr Martens (below) has made these skinhead labels more exciting and less “gay train driver’s S&M fetish”.

Most importantly and seeing as tasseled loafers are making fashion waves across Dalston’s dancefloors right now, these just out Raf Simons and Fred Perry jobbies couldn’t have been better timed.

DARYOUSH HAJ-NAJAFI