Raf Simons Joins Prada — The Lexington Line

After many months of rumors, speculation, and anticipation, Raf Simons has officially been confirmed as the Co-Creative Director at Prada. Sharing their responsibilities, Raf Simons will work directly alongside genius head designer, Miuccia Prada. In one of the most exciting and bold moves, two of the most recognizable designers in the world will work under one of the biggest fashion houses. This creative decision could end up restructuring how the entire fashion industry operates and how the relationships between creative directors evolve.

Making the convergence effective on April 2nd, 2020, the duo will present their first collection together in September for Spring/Summer 2021.

Source: Town & Country — Source: *Town & Country*

Originally studying Industrial Design and Furniture Design from the LUCA School of Arts in Belgium, Simons decided to become a fashion designer after attending his first Paris Fashion Week show: Maison Martin Margiela’s famous all-white Spring/Summer 1990 collection. Simons said that he cried after the fifth look came down the runway.

Source: The Wall Street Journal — Source: *The Wall Street Journal*

Simons has worked with the Prada company previously as the creative director of Jil Sanders from 2005 through 2012, when it was still owned by Prada’s parent group. Simons’ eponymous label, along with previous employment and successes at Christian Dior, has helped to cement his cult-like following for his innovation. Simons recently left Calvin Klein, most likely due to his designs being critically, but not commercially, received. Simons will continue to work on his own brand as he merges his ideas with the Prada identity.

Throughout his stints at other houses, Simons has maintained his personal brand, which has been highly regarded since its inauguration in 1995. Simons, similarly to Miuccia Prada, is a designer who merges high art with fashion. Simons has been one of the pioneers in merging the lines between culture, art, fashion, and music.

Rappers especially love to wear and reference Raf Simons in their songs. A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Quavo, Lil Uzi Vert and Frank Ocean dedicated an entire song to their love for the designer entitled, “RAF.” In it A$AP Rocky states, “It's rare Raf when I wear Raf / Bare Raf when I wear Raf / Might invest into some Raf shares,” alluding to the fact that Raf Simons is so important to him that he wears a lot of his rare pieces, and suggesting that he might start investing in the Raf Simons company. Kanye West has also cited Simons’ fashion and cultural impact as the inspiration for him to get into fashion and stage his Yeezy Season 1 collection.

Miuccia Prada needs absolutely no introduction. As the granddaughter of fashion house founder Mario Prada, Miuccia turned her family luggage business into a famous multi-billion-dollar ready-to-wear brand. Not just a tagline in a cliché Hollywood movie, the Prada brand is synonymous with sophistication. Miuccia and her husband Patrizio Bertelli (who also serves as the CEO of Prada and handles all business strategies) built an empire. Also owning Miu Miu and Church’s shoe company, Miuccia Prada and Bertelli created their own parent group, Prada Group.

Miuccia Prada’s first commercial success involved the famous nylon material used for backpacks. Debuting her woman’s collection in 1988, Miuccia Prada’s understated feminist designs have helped to propel her company to rival conglomerate giants such as LVMH and Kering. Prada, herself, has become a fashion icon in her own right, inspiring an Instagram account to document what she wears. Not for nothing, but the devil wore Prada for a reason.

Simons and Prada have known each other and been friends for many years now. In an interview with System Magazine back in October 2016, Simons and Prada spoke about their friendship and relationships with other creative directors. “One thing that I would really love to do is to work with Raf, and maybe with other people – it would be so much fun,” Miuccia Prada manifested.

Simons went on to say, “For me, I would be excited if Miuccia would do the Raf Simons brand for a season, and then I would do a season for Marc Jacobs in New York, and Marc would do Prada; I think the audience would be totally excited by that.” We have two out of three solidified, and we will try to keep our composure thinking about what is to come from the power duo.