Although graduating in Industrial and Furniture Design in 1991, Raf Simons embarked on a radical change of profession in 1995, becoming a self-trained menswear designer and launching his eponymous label. A celebrated career has followed with Simons being appointed head professor of the Fashion Department of the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, being named Creative Director of Jil Sander (menswear and womenswear) and then Artistic Director of Christian Dior for women’s Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear and Accessory collections.

Simons’ fuses the energy and singularity of teenage subcultures with the sharpness and precision of classical sartorial craft. Always at the core of his world are attitudes, moods and statements about individuality and independence. Equally important in Raf Simons’ approach is the constant quest for innovation - an exploration of fabrics and textures is a significant part of this. Simon’s has designed several textile collections in collaboration with Kvadrat.