Retailers Respond to Raf Simons Brand Shutdown

Buyers from major retailers in fashion capitals paid their respects on Tuesday after learning of Raf's closure Simons namesake label.

The Belgian fashion designer shared the news on Instagram on Monday. The Spring 2023 show staged during Frieze London last month marks the designer's latest collection for his own label.

“I lack words to share how proud I am of all that we have achieved. I am grateful for the incredible support from my team, associates, press and buyers, friends and family, and our dedicated and loyal fans. Thank you all for believing in our vision and for believing in me,” the designer said.

Simons launched his eponymous brand in 1995, working there while simultaneously holding positions at Jil Sander, Dior, Calvin Klein and Prada, of which he has been co-creative director since February 2020.

Bruce Pask, director of menswear at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, recalls the day he attended the Simons Défilé premiere in Paris for the brand's fall 1997 season, where the designer presented a punk take on the varsity style.

"I can still imagine the bulky gray flannel pants mingling with All-Star style sneakers , outfitted in Ts with the school seals and trim jackets are already pushing his soon-to-be iconic micro lapels.His play on classic menswear proportions was already evident and his impact on the menswear world was quite immediate.

"While he certainly had stylistic signatures such as his early career skinny suits, his bulky pants and ubiquitous play of proportions, clear and exacting aesthetic and execution have been a guideline in his career,” Pask said.

It is almost impossible to single out a career-defining collection since, according to Pask, Simons "put staged so many memorable presentations during his career. »

"His monumental parade on the ramps of the giant geodesic dome of the Parc de la Villette in Paris, with models staggered very long, almost robotically descending in early iterations of his sharp skinny suits was quite legendary.

"He celebrated the 10th anniversary of his collection as a guest designer at Pitti Uomo with an extensive show held throughout the Boboli Gardens.His parades were simply unmissable events despite the often nocturnal trips to the Parisian outskirts, [the most recent being the Spring 2019 parade held in Montreuil, on the outskirts of Paris. east of Paris],” recalls Pask.

For Alessio Cuozzo, purchasing manager at Italian online store Modes, Simons “turned convention on its head of luxury, becoming the flagship child of deconstructed fashion.”

"By imposing youth subcultures at the center of his creative universe, Raf Simons has been the pioneer of androgynous silhouettes that cross gender lines, social and cultural boundaries," he said. "Over the years, he's built a very loyal fan base, which...