Raf Simons (!) Peter Saville (!!) And Kvadrat Made… a $400 Tote?
There sure are a lot of tote bags. They come free with magazine subscriptions, are offered as eco-friendly alternatives at the supermarket, you can even save up for designer versions. It’s this exact ubiquity that makes the humble tote bags a surprising subject for the first collaborative display of genius from designer Raf Simons, artist Peter Saville and Danish textile company Kvadrat.
The Raf Simons x Peter Saville x Kvadrat totes are made of wool "Technicolour Fleck," a textile that Peter Saville created with Kvadrat.
In place of conventional branding, the monochrome totes wear their color and textile codes atop a fabric patch, with the relevant parties’ names printed below (and quite small at that).
Only 200 of the three-way totes will ever exist, which may help justify their $400 — yes, $400 — price tags.
At a glance, these simple zippered bags pose a quiet contrast to the youthfully subversive design schtick Simons built his eponymous brand around. After all, when you think Raf Simons, you likely think statement shoes, enigmatic graphic prints, and sizable prep-ish outerwear.
Even Simons’ previous work with Peter Saville incorporated some of the best and most dynamic examples of Saville's artistry, like when the designer famously painted Joy Division and New Order album artwork atop several now-legendary parkas.
But maybe there’s just something in Kvadrat, a Danish textile manufacturer especially appreciated by artists, that brings out the simple-bag-loving side of Simons. In the past, the two teamed up to drop several — if you can believe it — even plainer and pricier tote bags only one of which was embellished with a tiny patch.
And recall the ultra-understated Shaker project that Simons conceived with Kvadrat only a few years back.
But the Technicolour Fleck totes are a real oddity, because they’re the product of three eminent talents who’ve created some of the most inventive work in their respective fields.
A Simons and Saville team-up, especially with Kvadrat in the mix, feels like it's going to deliver youthful ingenuity rooted in a shared love of music, art, fabrication, and innovation.
And these $400 totes are that, to some degree. They're made out a special upholstery fabric, for instance, and their limited edition makes them an art piece of sorts. But, also, they're $400 totes.
