Raf Simons Hurt A$AP Rocky's Fashion Feelings
A$AP Rocky at the Dior party at the Guggenheim. Photo: collage by Stephanie Jones
A$AP Rocky has two million Instagram followers, enough hip-hop fans to fill stadiums worldwide, and mega-famous names like Kanye West and Rod Stewart on speed dial. But the veteran musician and nascent actor (did you catch his breakthrough performance in Dope?) can still geek out about fashion, especially when it involves his style spirit guide, Raf Simons. That’s why we were psyched—if not particularly surprised—that the rap star turned up last night at the Guggenheim, where Dior threw one last art bash with the departing designer.
As Mr. Rocky fielded the usual “I’m sorry, I love you” introductions from partygoers—teen royal Olympia of Greece among them—guests like Kiernan Shipka, Lake Bell, and Mamie Gummer vied for a prime spot to see Grimes perform a stellar set.
Meanwhile, we wondered: Did A$AP Rocky know Simons’ next move, or Dior’s next designer? So we downed some liquid courage in the form of Grey Goose vodka, then asked the Harlem native to tell all…
Yahoo Style: This event is like an unofficial going away party for Raf Simons. You seem like the perfect person to ask about it.
A$AP Rocky: It’s sad that he’s leaving, right? And to be honest, I’m a little hurt to see Raf go somewhere if I don’t know where he’s going.
But you’re collaborators! And friends! You don’t know what he’s doing after Dior?
I don’t! I swear…If I knew, I would probably tell—listen, I promise, I don’t know! I don’t know where he’s going yet, so I’m just pissed.
What should Raf Simons do the day after he leaves Dior?
He should go straight to work on more Raf Simmons clothes, because I live for that shit. It’s nostalgic to me, it’s inspiring, all the early designs—the pieces he did at Jil Sander, the way he took his cues from vintage Helmut Lang. How can you not love that aesthetic?
Are you still hunting for vintage?
No, not anymore. I used to be a big collector, a big buyer of past collections. Now I’m more of an archive fellow. It’s all safely put away.
You’re incredibly well-versed in fashion. Why not start your own menswear line?
No way. I’m never doing that.
Why not?
It’s corny. There’s too many rappers who want in on that shit. I’ll do collaborations and capsules, but music is always my main concern.
Raf Simons, right, with his boyfriend Jean-Georges d'Orazio at the Dior party. Photo: Getty Images
But you will do another movie, right?
Yes! That, yes, at least I hope so. Filming Dope was wild, but when you’re on set for a while, you forget people are going to see the movie… now, people come up to me all the time and they say, “Dom, it’s a slippery slope,” [a quote from the film]. That’s amazing.
Do you have a second movie role picked out yet?
No. I want to be really careful about what’s next. It should be something smart, something unexpected. I don’t want to do anything too cliché, or be marginalized by the movie industry, or box myself in. You know?
I do. And I have to ask you one silly question.
Go for it! But none of these questions are bad. Questions in general, it’s good to get to know people.
It is. But I want to talk about how your teeth are covered in diamonds.
Yeah, they are! The ones in front I can take out, but the ones that go all the way in the back, these are permanent.
You have a dazzling smile.
Thank you!
But you must have to use some strange toothpaste.
Oh yeah. I have to use all kinds of special things, and special toothpaste. But I’m a special individual, so it doesn’t feel that strange to me.
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