Raf Simons shocked the fashion world on Monday afternoon when he announced the end of his namesake design label. In a brief letter, he confirmed that his recently debuted Spring/Summer 2023 collection was the imprint’s final effort before thanking everyone who admired and worked with the fashion label over its nearly three decades of trailblazing.
“The Spring/Summer 2023 collection is the conclusion of an extraordinary 27 year journey and the final season of the Raf Simons fashion brand,” the designer wrote.
“I lack the words to share how proud I am of all that we have achieved,” he added. “I am grateful for the incredible support from my team, from my collaborators, from the press and buyers, from my friends and family, and from our devoted fans and loyal followers.”
He concluded, “Thank you all, for believing in our vision and for believing in me.”
Simons has become one of fashion’s most influential visionaries since his debut in 1995, thanks to his avant-garde collections under his eponymous label, as well as stints as creative director at Jil Sander and Dior, chief creative officer at Calvin Klein, and currently, co-creative director at Prada. Simons was able to reorient pop culture and art with his own label by using a signature, youthful design approach that remained consistent throughout each of his designs.
His first collection, shot in 8mm film in 1995, featured a small selection of menswear items; two years later, he staged his first runway show at Paris’ Impasse de Mont-Louis. Simons’ collections were daring in the early 2000s.
Consider Spring 2002, when the designer sent models down the runway wearing face masks and carrying lit flares, or Spring 2007, when Simons’ penchants for deconstruction and reconstruction were on full display.
Simons collaborated with Sterling Ruby on numerous occasions for his namesake label, most notably for Fall 2014, when the designer tapped the Los Angeles-based artist for a collaborative menswear collection that referenced American culture and heritage.
Simons later presented at Pitti Uomo for Spring 2017, with 57 looks created in collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. And Simons was the most talked about for Spring 2018, with a collection defined by the codes of Blade Runner, New Order, and the classics.
Simons’ eponymous collections have demonstrated in recent years that his influence on fashion is immeasurable. Simons made his London debut for Spring 2023, the brand’s final collection, with a collection that looked beyond the obvious, specifically with a very wearable range that bent his own house rules.
While Raf Simons’ brand is closing, his career as a designer is far from over. He will continue working as co-creative director of Prada, a position that he has held since 2020, alongside Miuccia Prada.
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