Raf Simons has announced the closure of his brand, and the Spring/Summer 2023 collection has become the brand’s swan song.
In an Instagram announcement, the Belgian designer said this was the end of the brand’s 27-year existence, with SS23 being his last season.
“There aren’t enough words to express how proud we are of everything we’ve accomplished,” Simmons wrote. And thank you for the incredible support of our loyal fans. Thank you for believing in our vision and me.”
Peter Marie, Simmons’ longtime collaborator and now Alaia’s creative director, said in an Instagram post that Simmons has been “influencing everyone for 30 years.”
“There are not enough words to express how proud I am…”
Raf Simons’ last show was at London’s Frieze Festival in October.
Simmons, who has shaped fashion from Jil Sander to Dior to Calvin Klein, is now Prada’s co-creative director since 2020. He eventually succeeds Miuccia Prada (73).
Simmons, who alternates between Milan and Antwerp, graduated in industrial design in 1991 and began working as a private furniture and gallery designer. After an internship with Walter van Beirendonck, a member of the infamous Antwerp Six, Simmons was inspired by the head of the fashion department at the Royal Academy of Antwerp to forge his own path in fashion, and in 1995 began his own career at the fashion. brand. own rights Trained as a menswear designer.
On the brand’s website, Simmons wants to convey a message. Fueled by a love of both rebellious youth culture and traditional menswear, Simmons’ signature style embraces revolution and innovation, but “the key elements remain the same. A constant exploration of proportions, fabrics and textures and, above all, interaction.
