Inspired by the story of Christine F. – a heroin addict in late 1970s Berlin – Raf Simons’ third New York Show called back to the story that was a big part of his youth. Having studied the film and book as part of his curriculum at high school, the collection – entitled “Youth In Motion” – highlighted the relevance of the cautionary tale in current times.

With “DRUGS” emblazoned across brightly covered half-hoodies and colour-patches reflecting the Periodic Table sporting the nicknames of various narcotics – “LSD”, “GHB”, “2C-B” – popping up throughout the lineup, the recurring motif was a striking, if slightly deadpan, addition to the range of stunningly sophisticated outerwear.

Not meant to glorify substance abuse though, Simons clarified: “Ultimately, ‘Youth In Motion’ seeks to neither glorify nor condone the culture(s) of drugs; rather Simons seeks instead to consider the persistent, almost ubiquitous presence of narcotics (prescribed or otherwise) within our society and acknowledge our often conflicted relationships with them; in turn opening up a more nuanced dialog around the implications for a society where addiction and the causes of addiction remain largely taboo subjects, with – as both Christiane F. and the current opioid crisis demonstrate – often untold human consequences.”