Raf Simons’ seminal Autumn Winter 2002 collection, titled ‘Virginia Creeper’, is one of the most revered collections of the 21st century. As a powerful representation of his early fashion journey, the show is centered on Simons’ unique approach of storytelling with graphics and typography. With a focus on the Virginia Creeper plant, Simons creatively portrays an eerie relationship between humans and nature. The native North American plant is a fast-growing, dark-green vine that clings to walls and spreads until it occupies an entire space. Simons references this plant with an acid-wash finish applied to the collection’s university-branded sweatshirts & hoodies (the plant contains oxalic acid, a chemical toxic to most mammals). As time goes on, the acid eats away at the garment – just like the Virignia Creeper toxifying its environment.

The collection also showcased a deeper materials exploration: trench coats, oversized leather jackets & trousers, hunting vests, digital camo knit sweaters, and even a sleeping bag. These pieces emphasized Simons’ fascination with Americana, as models wore college-style typography sweatshirts and varsity jackets under oversized plastic ponchos and trench coats. The runway was set in a dim, red-lit woodland area filled with trees and bushes. Models emerged from the bushes and continued their walk down the trail, elevating the dark and mysterious undertones of the collection.

The growth of the Virginia Creeper plant eerily mirrors that of the human species: both are seemingly harmless organisms that ultimately overwhelm and consume their environment, until there are no traces of original space left.