FASHION | Raf Simons Joins Prada As Co-Creative Director

This will be the first time in Prada’s 107-year history that a designer from outside the family has been appointed as Creative Director.

Belgian designer Raf Simons is confirmed to take on the role of Co-Creative Director at Prada, effective April 1^st, 2020. The acclaimed designer will be working alongside Prada’s current Creative Director, Miuccia Prada, to develop the men’s and women’s collection for the iconic Italian fashion house. The move marks the very first time that a very first time that a non-Prada family member will take on such a prominent creative role within the storied label.

‘Prada is a brand that I have been interested in my whole life. I cannot wait to express to all of you the dialogue I will have with Mrs.Prada and het team’, said Simons at the press conference. ‘To be really honest, Mr. Bertelli approached me right after my exit from Calvin Klein. Miuccia and I had a conversation about creativity in today’s fashion system. And it brought me to open dialogue with many designers, not just Mrs. Prada. We have to re-look at how creativity can evolve in today’s fashion system’.

Raf is one the industry’s most sought-after designers today having previously completed high-profile albeit somewhat tumultuous stints at Dior and Calvin Klein. This will be the second tine the designer will be working with Prada Group as Miuccia Prada and Prada’s Chief Executive Patrizio Bertelli had hired Simons as Creative Director of Jil Sander in 2005. The appointment had been highly lucrative for Prada Group as Simons had single-handedly guided Jil Sander to attain critical and commercial success during his 7-year tenure.

The designer will continue to work on his namesake menswear label alongside his new role at Prada. For those wondering, Miuccia and Raf’s first collection as co-creators of Prada will debut at the Spring/Summer 2021 women’s fashion week in Milan this September.

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