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Raf Simons
In just two decades, the Belgian designer Raf Simons has headed four of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, transformed the silhouette of men’s fashion, and reimagined the way street style and fine art can influence design. Restless and yet fully-actualized in his aesthetic from the start, Simons continually manages to surprise while reasserting his sharp, fearless vision.
Simons studied industrial and furniture design in Genk, but an internship at Walter Van Beirendonck set the stage for his life in fashion. In 1995, he founded his own menswear label, specializing in razor-thin suiting. By the turn of the century, men around the world had tightened up their apparel. Two months before 9/11, Simons showed a controversial collection accessorized by face-coverings and lit flares. Four years later, he introduced sex appeal to minimalism as head of men’s and womenswear for Jil Sander. In 2012, Dior came calling; in response, he provided edgy takes on smoking suits and pastel couture as creative director. Simons shocked the industry by resigning in 2016, launching a collection under his own name that applied Robert Mapplethorpe’s homoerotic photography to streetwear, then joining Americana icon Calvin Klein as chief creative officer. His kitsch collaborations with Sterling Ruby and taxicab-yellow makeover of John Pawson’s minimalist temple of a Madison Avenue flagship attracted major attention, but after two years Simons moved on again.
In 2014, Simons initiated an ongoing collaboration with Kvadrat, utilizing the Danish master’s innovative textiles in a Calvin Klein collection. The apparel was such a success that the pair decided to bring the fabrics home, for a series of textile collections marrying Simon’s severe wit and Kvadrat’s peerless fabrications. Meanwhile, the catwalk came calling again: in April 2020, Simons joined Prada in the role of co-creative director.
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by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Helia Fabric
![Kelim Untitled AB12 Kvadrat Alain Biltereyst 2](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab12-carpet/Kelim-Untitled-AB12-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1565&s=503a538868f616c570022d24f8f32f49 1565w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab12-carpet/Kelim-Untitled-AB12-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=cba0ca690e4475147db7ad9c1d95d626 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab12-carpet/Kelim-Untitled-AB12-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=4c599e0bdcd1d2edf62bf7902ef9791c 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab12-carpet/Kelim-Untitled-AB12-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=4b7e652d715b8ff726a988f7de258bb8 300w)
by Alain Biltereyst
for Kvadrat
Kelim Untitled_AB12 Carpet
![Kvadrat Argo 2 Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-argo-fabric/Kvadrat-Argo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=e1a9c437877c72d2ed7cdff7cc48fbcc 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-argo-fabric/Kvadrat-Argo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=c269fc3b45689274d2a241a6af3c4262 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-argo-fabric/Kvadrat-Argo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=d0022ce1e0e4aa5a2b44447671cc59ee 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-argo-fabric/Kvadrat-Argo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=5a9c4176005a64c748cf7695a6f46c35 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Argo 2 Fabric
More in Raf Simons
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by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Atom Fabric
![Kvadrat Pilot Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-pilot-fabric/Kvadrat-Pilot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=d9888cb0cc30c92cdb24aad14c7b62c2 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-pilot-fabric/Kvadrat-Pilot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=6e82f0db5ee2b5f44fb197e78a6f62b8 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-pilot-fabric/Kvadrat-Pilot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=6a25c48bb66071ccad31993f984ff787 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-pilot-fabric/Kvadrat-Pilot.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=56f11d0ecfd6b727ea50bd9b97f442e3 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Pilot Fabric
![Kvadrat Relex Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-reflex-fabric/Kvadrat-Relex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=3a8481ffa0290bef2faa4e58802aa466 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-reflex-fabric/Kvadrat-Relex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=d8590cb46eb7e1d40243704aac36d70e 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-reflex-fabric/Kvadrat-Relex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=6442f9d0508d6175cfebcce2a799c8a6 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-reflex-fabric/Kvadrat-Relex.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=ee23feb19ba6abf78073a1b2e4a7aaba 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat