The night is always darkest before dawn.
“In his latest narrative chapter titled ‘Sidewalk Tears,’ Nicholas Raefski unveils the second tier of a three-part saga—a tale rooted in the age-old construct of the hero’s odyssey. The hero’s journey, an archetypal narrative framework comprising a dozen pivotal stages, coalesces neatly into a triad of overarching phases. Within this second leg of the protagonist’s quest, Raefski’s hero confronts a somber inner battle —an encounter with the very essence of self.”
The NICHOLAS RAEFSKI Spring/Summer 2024 Collection, presented on September 9th, emerges with a concerted focus on the rigors, trials, and tribulations that punctuate the trajectory of the creator’s expedition: those grueling junctures, those twilight interludes, instances when optimism recedes into the abyss, and achievement appears beyond grasp.
Speaking to the ethos behind the collection, Nicholas explains, ‘On a personal level, this collection encapsulates the essence of my protagonist’s heroic journey—a reflection intertwined with my own intimate challenges. Amid the bleakest hours, I frequently find myself wandering the streets of New York, crying, looking aimless for the answers to my problem. During these episodes of despair, nobody seems to care that I am crying on the streets. It seems the city’s pulse remains oblivious to my tear-streaked visage and its silent plea. Yet, amid these meandering reveries, I unearth the very resolutions to my problems. A vivid reminder arises that the world persists, unyielding in its rotation, while my trials—though momentous— are not world ending. These tears upon the sidewalk stand as an indelible reminder—a testament that, whatever I am going through, I will survive, and my journey forward will continue.”
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. Nicholas became a CFDA interim member in 2023.
Raefski is set to be an exciting emerging talent and we look forward to seeing his design story continued.
