Raf Simons
Fashion Designer
Raf Simons is a Belgian fashion designer. Simons' shows combine traditional fashion education with subversive cultures like punk and new wave, and are a subtle mix of high fashion, youth culture, music and performance.
He trained initially in industrial design, and he spent some years designing furniture for galleries and interiors. He apprenticed with fellow Belgian designer Walter van Beirendonck in Paris, before launching his first eponymous menswear collection in 1995.
From 2000-2005 Simons was a tutor at the fashion department of the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Simons was creative director of the German fashion house Jil Sander from 2005-2012, overseeing menswear, accessories and launching the successful womenswear line.
In April 2012, Simons was appointed creative director at Dior and debuted at Paris haute couture for Autumn/Winter 2012, eventually leaving in 2015. In 2016, Simons joined Calvin Klein as creative director, exiting in 2018.
In September 2020, Simons presented his first collection as co-creative director at Prada.
Raf Simons is a Belgian fashion designer. Simons' shows combine traditional fashion education with subversive cultures like punk and new wave, and are a subtle mix of high fashion, youth culture, music and performance.
He trained initially in industrial design, and he spent some years designing furniture for galleries and interiors. He apprenticed with fellow Belgian designer Walter van Beirendonck in Paris, before launching his first eponymous menswear collection in 1995.
From 2000-2005 Simons was a tutor at the fashion department of the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Simons was creative director of the German fashion house Jil Sander from 2005-2012, overseeing menswear, accessories and launching the successful womenswear line.
In April 2012, Simons was appointed creative director at Dior and debuted at Paris haute couture for Autumn/Winter 2012, eventually leaving in 2015. In 2016, Simons joined Calvin Klein as creative director, exiting in 2018.
In September 2020, Simons presented his first collection as co-creative director at Prada.
