Raf Simons, the renowned Belgian fashion designer, experienced a pivotal moment in his career when he attended Martin Margiela’s groundbreaking 1989 fashion show. This show, held in an unconventional location—a desolate playground in a North African neighborhood on the outskirts of Paris—marked a turning point in fashion history.
Unlike typical fashion presentations, Margiela’s show was open to the public, models strutted on an uneven “catwalk,” and the front row was filled with local children. The collection itself was equally unconventional: deconstructed garments, raw aesthetics, and the iconic Tabi Boot—an animal-like shoe with split toes—captivated the audience. Simons, along with half the crowd, was moved to tears by the sheer beauty and audacity of Margiela’s vision.
This transformative experience ignited Simons’ passion for fashion design, leading him away from furniture and toward a future that would shape his own innovative and influential work.
