Rafael Kouto, the Swiss upcycling couture brand, releases a limited-edition collection titled “A post summer solitary reverie of a rave” in collaboration with the Zurich Silk Association. This collection doubles as a cultural project, aiming to preserve the authentic‚ savoir faire’ of the Swiss fashion and textile industry by situating it in an international and contemporary context. This aseasonal showcase is presented as a short fashion film by Kairos Studio.
Rafael Kouto’s contemporary collection titled ‘A post summer solitary reverie of a rave’, focuses on the escapist daydream of post-pandemic freedom. Trippy patterns, psychedelic and acid prints, reveal a journey into the realm of liberation, self-expression and unconditional togetherness. Visionary intricacies of traditional couture and local hand- crafting techniques are informed by Rafael Kouto’s distinctive hybrid aesthetic of merging West African and Western cultures. Beige and orange tones meld harmoniously, forging patterns that are reminiscent of desert landscapes. Rich red and purple hues flow into black and pink pallets, inducing nostalgia of warm summer nights.
This special edition Summer 2021 collection includes a wide range of pieces including draped and silk dresses, silk shirts, parachute ensembles encompassing dresses, trousers, jackets, bags and hats, sweatshirts and trousers ensembles, tulle printed tops, hand-dyed tank tops, bags and bucket hats. It will also include futuristic jewellery pieces that are made out of electronic wires, parts from computers and TV’s.
Archival Research of Couture Silk – Rafael Kouto’s Regenerative Approach:
The garments of this capsule collection are crafted using upcycled silk from the textile archive of the Zurich Silk Association ‘Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft’, an association of active and former companies in the Zurich silk industry and one of the oldest business associations in Switzerland. Rafael Kouto selected fabrics from the 2011 “Soie Pirare, Textil Archiv Abraham” exhibition, which captured the traditions of Switzerland’s Haute Couture silk trade. Abraham AG (Abraham Ltd) was a corporation central to this trade, collaborating with Parisian couturiers for the creations of iconic fashion houses. In a 1966 Women’s Wear Daily interview, Ludwig Abraham, founder of the then ‘L. Abraham & Co. Seiden AG’ states “The truth of the classic beauties should not be lost in six months”. This has become the guiding thread of Rafael Kouto’s collection; reworking vintage textiles by reimagining their beauty and expanding the life cycle.
Meticulous research of these material archives led Rafael Kouto to discover silk from Yves Saint Laurent’s 1988 and 1991 Haute Couture collections. Vivid colours used in Algerian and Moroccan designs that once inspired Yves Saint Laurent’s creations, are now incorporated in this special edition showcase.
