Raf Simons
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The Label
When Raf Simons bowed his menswear line on the runways in 1995, he quickly became known for his deconstructed takes on punk and goth. He was part of the mid-nineties wave of truly avant-garde Belgian designers that hit the international fashion scene, touting high-concept clothes with precision cuts. Over time, Simons evolved past the overt artiness without losing his signature moody, sometimes monastic ethos. During his spring 2004 men’s presentation, the designer hinted at a women’s collection, showing six looks for the ladies, a promise he delivered on for fall 2006.
The Look
Punk and goth as seen through impeccable construction.
The Designer
Belgian-born Simons studied industrial design at the Antwerp Royal Academy. In 1999, he and then-girlfriend Veronique Branquinho, a major force behind the Belgian fashion explosion, were tapped to design the experimental line Ruffo Research. Simons became the creative director of Jil Sander in early 2005 and has been critically lauded for starting to reinvigorate the label.
