'Radioactivity' Anarchy Split Shirt
This rare piece from AW98 is a true work of art in fashion history, a reflection of the designer's creative inspiration in music, specifically from the pioneering electronic artists of the New Wave music scene, like Kraftwerk. As a teenager, Raf Simons found solace and inspiration in music, scouring local record shops for New Wave gems and rare electronica. One album that stayed with him was Kraftwerk's 1978 release, The Man Machine. The designer paid direct homage to the group with his "Radioactivity" show in 1998, staged in the grandiose surroundings of Paris' Moulin Rouge. The collection's jumping-off point was the seminal cover of The Man Machine, created by German artist Karl Klefisch. The saturated crimson visual took inspiration from the avant-garde school of suprematism, which turned geometric forms into abstract artworks and stuck to a strict, limited color palette. This cotton shirt is a sterling example of the collection, featuring the iconic imagery of the movement. It is a