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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.
More in Textiles
View All![Kelim Unititled AB14 Kvadrat Alain Biltereyst 1](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab14-carpet/Kelim-Unititled-AB14-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1565&s=ffc8d0b950843f8b847c4d524149be27 1565w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab14-carpet/Kelim-Unititled-AB14-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=fb37d6799a151a2923b4aafaad0975f6 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab14-carpet/Kelim-Unititled-AB14-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=2c54e0a9ee3f6d5e72b6a218d7c5b187 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kelim-untitled-ab14-carpet/Kelim-Unititled-AB14-Kvadrat-Alain-Biltereyst-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=5115e042264c8764ebc947b2897f2fc5 300w)
by Alain Biltereyst
for Kvadrat
Kelim Untitled_AB14 Carpet
![Kvadrat Husk Fabric](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-husk-fabric/Kvadrat_Husk_Fabric.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=26262b2135ff4676662212832ca06ab2 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-husk-fabric/Kvadrat_Husk_Fabric.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=ae7c5c8ecc40d58e4584a1c1905cd178 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-husk-fabric/Kvadrat_Husk_Fabric.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=98238eb834895a7bd9e5baa3d1000467 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-husk-fabric/Kvadrat_Husk_Fabric.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=2b3869874e9fd63d085914725b65d9f5 300w)
by Marc Thorpe
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Husk Fabric
![Kvadrat Helia Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-helia-fabric/Kvadrat-Helia.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=95e18c0c50a05a5002c2671a650b7fa4 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-helia-fabric/Kvadrat-Helia.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=ff1ff80a931a89184294f7a563ccf560 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-helia-fabric/Kvadrat-Helia.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=14cbffed7f44bb60578f37e93e0f33a0 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-helia-fabric/Kvadrat-Helia.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=4f18772ff9fc602d0484ea568acc5761 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Helia Fabric
More in Raf Simons
View All![Aaren Raf Simons Kvadrat](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-aaren-fabric/Aaren-Raf-Simons-Kvadrat.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=663&s=4c5cf0db458ab409d6d32ea0d521304a 663w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-aaren-fabric/Aaren-Raf-Simons-Kvadrat.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=56679bd728aa00d84413cc9e373c13dc 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-aaren-fabric/Aaren-Raf-Simons-Kvadrat.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=79bca97ec9fb8a7f8047129a36cb4278 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Aaren Fabric
![Kvadrat Sunniva 3 Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-sunniva-3-fabric/Kvadrat-Sunniva-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=08caab1c948d1d7d67ebcf677da1feab 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-sunniva-3-fabric/Kvadrat-Sunniva-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=933f22ea7e6a1119cfcf84d88f303eea 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-sunniva-3-fabric/Kvadrat-Sunniva-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=fb6b5808f1c8bd507808abdfb0c11c20 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-sunniva-3-fabric/Kvadrat-Sunniva-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=3855c32537b2f582baa1587cbf8bfb7a 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat
Kvadrat Sunniva 3 Fabric
![Kvadrat Vanir Raf Simons](https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-vanir-fabric/Kvadrat-Vadir-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1389&s=7c698b925e105a05e888a0f3107b87e4 1389w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-vanir-fabric/Kvadrat-Vadir-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=1000&s=3c0ca744410263a64f80df7739132a1d 1000w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-vanir-fabric/Kvadrat-Vadir-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=600&s=a78f0382b3b95244054fc39f73c6bc67 600w, https://context-gallery.imgix.net/products/k/kvadrat-vanir-fabric/Kvadrat-Vadir-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=clip&q=60&w=300&s=a96d8021aa6236ecc7ac6b2f9e9749a6 300w)
by Raf Simons
for Kvadrat