Raf Simons CK205W39NYC x Andy Warhol ‘Stephen Sprouse’ Knit Sweater

Raf Simons’ induction to the Calvin Klein label was a shocking and rather unprecedented move back in 2016. The designer was met with heaps of backlash as he tackled a Western aesthetic, stepping out of his traditional design field to experiment. It would be years before his direction was appreciated, but is now regarded as a height of the designer’s modern era. Vastly ahead of his time, Simons’ contract was terminated following his Spring 2019 collection, in turn making his staple knitwear, prints and collaborations incredibly sought after.

 

Crafted alongside Andy Warhol, a long-standing partner of the 205W39NYC label, this knitted sweater features a portrait of American designer Stephen Sprouse. Originally painted on a 40x40 canvas in 1984, Warhol manipulates a synthetic polymer and silkscreen ink to create a duel portrait. From here, Raf Simons uses a heavyweight cream textile to showcase the negative graphic, using the contrasting base to highlight black detailing. In pristine condition throughout, tagged as a size extra small while fitting massively oversized at a large.