Raf Simons

Minimalist, maximalist, elegant, modern, traditional...these are just some of the terms used to describe Raf Simons' designs produced for the various fashion houses he has worked with. With his eponymous label, specialising in menswear, the designer presents a new image of masculinity, placing an accent on androgyny through pieces that defy gender codes. This innovative edge has been getting him noticed since he first started out in the '90s. The self-taught Raf Simons first studied industrial and furniture design before launching his own Ready-to-Wear brand for men in 1995. Praised by his peers, he then went on to become Creative Director at fashion houses including Jil Sander, Dior and Calvin Klein, where he built on his style: playing with different materials, volumes, precision tailoring and minimalist shapes. Over the years, his message has been driven by his connection to youth culture and the countercultures that inspire his collections. In 2017, he once again set himself apart at the CFDA Awards by winning both the Menswear Designer of the Year and Womenswear Designer of the Year Awards; a feat only ever achieved once before in the history of CFDA...by Calvin Klein himself in 1993.