Daily Crush: Mapplethorpe for Your Closet

Before he stunned the fashion industry with his move from Christian Dior to Calvin Klein, Belgian designer Raf Simons staged a spring-summer 2017 runway show for his namesake label at Pitti Uomo, the Florence-based menswear event.

There, he introduced a jaw-dropping collection dedicated entirely to the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, integrating some of his most famous work into a ready-to-wear line that glorified the artist's leather fetish and bohemian style. The best part: Simons didn't shy away from Mapplethorpe's X-rated material -- like an image of an erect penis, which he embossed on the back of a red jacket. (Tamer pieces featured Mapplethorpe's floral still lifes and portraits of Patti Smith, his longtime friend and muse).

Related | Raf Simons Unveils Robert Mapplethorpe-Inspired Campaign

Following the big reveal, Simons told Vogue he shelved earlier concepts for original designs after he received an email from the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation suggesting a collaboration. The result: wearable Mapplethorpe that lives up to the lensman's provocative legacy--and one brilliantly irreverent, slightly less wearable take on the Members Only jacket.

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