Raf Simons
Encyclopedia
Raf Simons 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
.
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.
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."
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."
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." 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."
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."
Though Raf's design for Jil Sander often seems geared toward the corporate woman, young women such as Ashley Olsen
are also fans.
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.
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". Throughout the collection there is a sharp contrast between futuristic robotics and human softness.
Industrial design
Industrial design is the use of a combination of applied art and applied science to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, and usability of a product, but it may also be used to improve the product's marketability and production...
, but after a few years of self-study, he became a menswear designer in 1995. Initially, he worked with Walter Van Beirendonck
Walter Van Beirendonck
Walter Van Beirendonck is a Belgian fashion designer. He graduated in 1980 from the Royal Arts Academy in Antwerp. Together with Dirk Van Saene, Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee and Dirk Bikkembergs they became known as the Antwerp Six.Since 1983, he issues his own collections...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where he was exposed to the work of Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela
Martin Margiela is a Belgian fashion designer. He studied at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts along with the legendary avantgarde fashion collective the Antwerp Six. Many still consider him to be the "7th" member of the collective.- Life and work:After graduation in 1980 he worked as a...
and Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier , born 24 April 1952 in Arcueil, Val-de-Marne, France) is a French haute couture fashion designer. Gaultier was the creative director of Hermès from 2003 to 2010. In the past, he has hosted the television series Eurotrash....
.
Collections
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.He presents his collections twice a year, usually in Paris, but works and lives in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. 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
Barneys New York
Barneys New York is a chain of luxury department stores headquartered in New York City. The chain owns large stores in New York City, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Scottsdale, and smaller stores in other locations across the United States.Brands sold include...
and Seven in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
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.
Jil Sander
In summer 2005 he was appointed as creative director for the Jil SanderJil Sander
Heidemarie Jiline 'Jil' Sander is a minimalist German fashion designer and the founder of the Jil Sander fashion house....
label, owned by the Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
Group. (The label has since been sold to a private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm.)
Critical Review of Raf's Work at Jil Sander
New York Times Fashion Writer Cathy Horyn
Cathy Horyn
Cathy Horyn is an American fashion journalist, working as the fashion critic for The New York Times where she also keeps a highly noted and provocative blog called...
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."
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
Azzedine Alaia
Azzedine Alaïa is a Tunisian-born couturier and shoe designer, particularly successful since the 1980s.-Biography:Alaïa was born in Siliana, Tunisia on 7 June 1940. His parents were wheat farmers but his glamorous twin sister inspired his love for couture. A French friend of his mother fed Alaïa's...
, Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Lagerfeld is a German fashion designer, artist and photographer based in Paris. He has collaborated on a variety of fashion and art related projects, most notably as head designer and creative director for the fashion house Chanel...
and Raf Simons."
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." 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."
In W's March 2007 issue, Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
admitted to wearing Raf's clothes. "I usually wear Jil Sander, or I wear Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He is the head designer for Marc Jacobs, as well as Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line, with more than 200 retail stores in 60 countries. He has been the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton since 1997...
, or I wear Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf
Viktor & Rolf is an Amsterdam-based fashion house. The company was founded in 1993 by designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren .- History :...
…. I love Raf Simons, but I didn't know he was even doing the Jil Sander collection."
Though Raf's design for Jil Sander often seems geared toward the corporate woman, young women such as Ashley Olsen
Ashley Olsen
Ashley Fuller Olsen is an American actress, fashion designer, producer, and author. She co-founded luxury fashion brand The Row and the more affordable line Olsenboye with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen and started her own fashion company called Elizabeth and James...
are also fans.
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
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew 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.
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". Throughout the collection there is a sharp contrast between futuristic robotics and human softness.