First Look: G-Star RAW Research III by Aitor Throup as Seen at Paris Fashion Week

The G-Star RAW innovation lab, led by Executive Creative Director Aitor Throup, deconstructs denim to its purest form for its third capsule for men and its very first women’s collection.

Endeavoring to redefine the meaning of RAW by deconstructing denim to its purest form, the third collection of Raw Research presents new innovations in denim construction, silhouette, and shape, all underscored by an undyed, unwashed and untreated raw denim. This approach is applied in equal measure across both the men’s and women’s collections, each collection featuring 10 pieces presented in undyed calico denim. In addition, the same collection goes through a process of hand dyeing where the indigo is added to the raw garments, resulting in an organically irregular visual effect. In an effort to challenge the convention of what defines ‘denim‘, the G-Star innovation lab separated, analysed, and utilized the core elements of denim - the raw fabric and the indigo dye - in new and experimental ways.

For the Paris presentation on June 23rd G-Star also celebrated a first: the debut Raw Research women’s collection, and Throup’s first ever collective work of womenswear. The first dedicated women’s styles reflect the overall design philosophy of Raw Research III, and the resulting pieces seamlessly blend minimalism and functionality, without compromising femininity. For both the men’s and women’s collections, the brand’s in-house innovation laboratory follows the same design approach – pushing the boundaries of product design through a process of exploration, curiosity, and experimentation.

The Raw Research III collection was launched at Garage Lübeck in Paris, shown as an artistic and interactive installation featuring models that reflect the collection’s inspiration and highlights its unique designs. All new styles were also presented in 44 different hand-dyed color options as a metaphor for how the brand is pushing the conventions and constraints of denim, and challenge the recipients’ perceptions of what the fabric can be. An exclusive musical arrangement by Woodgrain, under the creative direction of Throup, was composed to go along with the visitor’s journey of the presentation, having a conceptual connection to the product and installation.

Raw Research III will be available in select high-end concept stores around the world, from early December 2017.