NICHOLAS RAEFSKI
« LEAP OF FAITH »
Fall/Winter 2023 Collection
The journey is the destination.
“Leap of Faith” echoes the hero’s journey; a frequently used template for storytelling characterized by twelve fundamental steps that can be more broadly grouped into three parts.
The Fall/Winter 2023 collection is the first of a thre-part story that encompasses the hero’s journey. This multi-season arc is a first for Raefski, and his largest undertaking to date. Beginning with “the call to adventure”, it draws inspiration from humanity’s great heroes who have broken the mold and catapulted into near-mythical territories.
“Leap of Faith” is intended to take a fun, and at times whimsical, interpretation of the hero’s pursuit; the role it plays to find inspiration to overcome later inevitable challenges; a metaphor for Raefski and his team as they embark on a journey to explore and apply new ideas to their creative designs.
While Raefski has established himself as a name to watch on the Men’s Day calendar, where he is showing for the third consecutive season. This leap of faith begins a new exciting journey to unknown territories; a 13-look collection fueled by nomadic spirit, instilling purpose, and inspiring growth forward and the introduction of a womenswear subset of the collection; his own “call to adventure”.
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Nicholas Raefski currently lives in New York City. He graduated from Fordham University in 2021 with a degree in economics and a master’s in media management.
Without a formal education in fashion and design, Raefski has put together a team of autodidacts, with a learn-as-you-go moto, and launched his namesake label out of his dorm room in 2020.
“Leap of Faith”, Raefski’s forth full-scale collection, marked his third appearance on the NYFW calendar and with New York Men’s Day.
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DESIGN | NICHOLAS RAEFSKI
ART DIRECTION | GIANCARLO CIPRI
PHOTOGRAPHY | KEATON MATUSICH
STYLING | JULES WETTREICH
ASSISTANT STYLING | JOSHUA SOUZA
FASHION COORDINATORS | PAT CRAKER & ANDRUW MENDES
SET DESIGN | SUPERIOR METAL AND WOODWORK
PRODUCTION | TREW PRODUCTIONS
CASTING | TREW PRODUCTIONS
HAIR | ORIBE led by key stylist, CHRISTIAN CEJA-COMPIN
MAKE UP | MANDY GAKHAL on behalf of AOFMPro Using Dermalogica
MUSIC | MATTHEW BAKER
PRESS | REP AGENCY
NYMD | AGENTRY PR
THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CARRIED THE WEIGHT WHEN IT SEEMED TOO HEAVY. NOTHING I DO WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP OF THOSE AROUND ME