A truly iconic garment from Raf Simons' AW99 "Disorder. Incubation. Isolation." collection. This version from AW99 was the version actually produced and released for retail. I'm sure some of you reading this have seen other listings for the prototype of this cape from AW98. This is one of the few and far between cases where the actual released version is much rarer than the prototype, although there are no differences I have seen between the versions besides the neck tag date. The cape is made from a dense, structured cotton canvas which is quite warm and drapes beautifully when worn - it makes for a great overcoat substitute for those of you in those climates that require it. Sartorially excellent as Raf almost always is, lovely hem stitch detailing, aggressive sharp lines contrasted against the rounded ruffles of the drape.
Some argue what makes early Raf so great is his ability to infuse delicate, intimate emotion into his garments. I have noticed with each piece I have owned, especially from his pre-hiatus era, a certain somberness to them. As if they were once a page from Raf's diary or through some divine occurrence absorbed some of his essence. The AW99 collection is, to me, the pinnacle of Raf's vulnerability. It remains my favourite season because of this - it shows us, with little held back, his heart and soul.
Made in Belgium as is to be expected with any piece from this period.
In terms of condition, the cape is flawless - there is no fading and all of the seams/buttons are in perfect order. An undeniable 10/10 which, as much as I despise saying it, is actually pretty amazing considering the age of this piece.
