| Raf Simons | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 January 1968 Neerpelt |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Education | Furniture design |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Labels | Raf Simons, Raf by Raf Simons, Jil Sander |
Raf Simons (born January 12, 1968) is a Belgian fashion designer. He studied Industrial design, but after a few years of self-study, he became a menswear designer in 1995. Initially, he worked with Walter Van Beirendonck in Paris, where he was exposed to the work of Martin Margiela and Jean-Paul Gaultier.
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His collections (menswear only) are strongly influenced by youth culture albeit in an indirect way. He often combines strongly cut classic menswear with baggy streetwear-influenced items. Simons' style has been described as highly influential. He is cited as being one of the most important innovators in contemporary menswear by the international press.[1]
He presents his collections twice a year, usually in Paris, but works and lives in Antwerp, Belgium. In his early years, his runway shows were unconventional: models running down a street or walking in a parking lot, on a bridge, around a photography studio.
His "Raf Simons" and "Raf by Raf Simons" collections are sold at Barneys and Seven in New York and a variety of locations around the world; stockists are listed on the official website.
Raf Simons also launched a 12-piece collection of polo shirts and knitwear in 2008 as part of a collaboration with Fred Perry. [2]
In summer 2005 he was appointed as creative director for the Jil Sander label, owned by the Prada Group. (The label has since been sold to a private equity firm.)
Critical Review of Raf's Work at Jil Sander
New York Times Fashion Writer Cathy Horyn respects Raf's work at Jil Sander. As she wrote about his Fall 2007 collection, "On Tuesday a little-known Belgian designer named Raf Simons had the full attention of the fashion world. Mr. Simons's collection for Jil Sander, his third since becoming creative director 18 months ago, was perfect. It will make everything else, I bet, seem a little contrived, a little clunky, a little silly."[3]
She also considers him in the ranks of older, established designers. As she wrote: "There are plenty of designers who have shown that you don't need the crutch of a club or a book to design original clothes, among them Mr. Alaïa, Karl Lagerfeld and Raf Simons."[4]
Dressing Alpha Career Women
Style.com's Sarah Mower wrote about his Fall 2007 collection that he is one of the only designers whose clothes are appropriate for the high-powered career woman: "Jil Sander may be the last designer resource for alpha-female corporate dressing left unbowed in the twenty-first century—it's certainly the only one that dares to air a full range of navy pantsuits on a runway. That unflinching Belgian pragmatism regarding the need for upper-echelon career clothes has, after three seasons, become Raf Simons' brand-stabilizing trademark, alongside the stamp of calm conceptualism he's bringing to the house."[5] As she wrote about his Spring 2007 collection, "Simons took on challenges that other designers have been frantically avoiding: working on a pantsuit, coming up with strategies to modernize a dress, making clothes that just might apply to the life of a high-achieving woman."[6]
In W's March 2007 issue, Ellen DeGeneres admitted to wearing Raf's clothes. "I usually wear Jil Sander, or I wear Marc Jacobs, or I wear Viktor & Rolf…. I love Raf Simons, but I didn't know he was even doing the Jil Sander collection."[7]
Though Raf's design for Jil Sander often seems geared toward the corporate woman, young women such as Ashley Olsen are also fans.[8]
Locations
His Jil Sander collections are sold at Jil Sander boutiques worldwide and other retailers. In New York, it is sold at the Jil Sander Store, Bergdorf Goodman, Barney's, Jeffrey, and Linda Dresner. His first collection for the label, Fall 2006, sold well: the only pieces of Jil Sander that made it to the Barney's Warehouse Sale were the "sharkskin" blazers and a few pairs of pants. The coats, shirts, sweaters, and dressers had sold in the store.
Bridge Collection
His menswear line, "Raf by Raf Simons", was launched in 2006. His Fall/Winter collection has been recognised by many as one of the most impressive lines of the season.[9]
Fall/Winter 2008/9 collection in Paris
Simons writes about this collection, "The whole idea of this collection is to work on the body, which is that of a young boy on its journey to grow into that of a mature man - and to capture the budding spirit in between".[10] Throughout the collection there is a sharp contrast between futuristic robotics and human softness.