What Made AW01 So Iconic
“Riot! Riot! Riot!” wasn’t just a collection — it was a warning shot. Raf Simons’ Autumn/Winter 2001 runway show dropped in a post-9/11 world already tense with fear, rebellion, and political unrest. Instead of gloss or glam, Raf delivered rage.
Models stormed the runway with flares, masks, and oversized bomber jackets. Some looked like riot cops, others like they were ready to burn the system down. The silhouettes were massive, layered, and confrontational — parkas with patches, tactical vests, balaclavas, and slogans like “We Are the Future”.
Raf wasn’t just designing clothes — he was capturing the energy of a generation in revolt. The result was a collection that felt dangerous. And that’s what made it iconic. Long before “streetwear” was a trend, Raf was showing the world that youth culture, protest, and fashion could all speak the same language.
Rappers & Creatives Who Referenced It
Raf Simons AW01 didn’t just inspire designers — it became holy grail status in hip-hop. These weren’t just clothes anymore — they were symbols of taste, rebellion, and rare energy.
• Kanye West was one of the first to call Raf his idol. He owns OG AW01 pieces, and you can see the influence all over Yeezy Season 1 — from the silhouettes to the survivalist tone. Ye said it himself: “Raf is the architect.”
• ASAP Rocky made Raf a bar. “I swear Raf Simons don’t lace them bitches when they wear them” wasn’t just flex — it was gospel. Rocky wore AW01 bombers, parkas, and made Raf cool in the streetwear scene.
• Drake, known for his luxe, cleaner aesthetic, even paid homage. In his 2020 Toosie Slide video, filmed inside his Toronto mansion during lockdown, he’s seen rocking a Raf Simons AW01 bomber. It was a subtle nod that only the fashion-heads caught — proof that even in isolation, AW01 was the flex.
• Travis Scott? The rawness of AW01 is all over his early visuals and merch drops. You can trace it in the dark palettes, layered gear, and post-apocalyptic stage design.
• Behind the scenes, stylists like Matthew Henson and Bloody Osiris were keeping the AW01 energy alive — mixing militarism, oversized proportions, and storytelling through fit.
AW01 wasn’t made for clout. It was made for the misunderstood, the kids in the margins. That’s why rappers who built their own lane gravitated to it — it wasn’t fashion, it was identity.
