A month after announcing the departure of chief creative officer of Calvin Klein, Raf Simons, the future is still uncertain as the brand continues to search for a new creative lead.
Simons has become one of fashion’s most acclaimed and admired designers since launching his namesake label in 1995. The self-taught Belgian designer established himself as a youth centered, conceptual visionary within the industry. Apart from success with his own label, Simons has held notable positions at other brands — such as creative director of Jil Sander and Dior — before his appointment at Calvin Klein. During his tenure at Jil Sander, Simons reimagined the minimalism the brand was known for and brought a new sensuality to the label. He left the house after 7 years to move to Dior. There, the designer brought elegant modernity to classic Dior silhouettes. Simons stepped down from his position at Dior after 3 years to focus on his own label. In August 2017, Simons was announced as the new creative lead for iconic American brand Calvin Klein.
Initially, Simons’ appointment was met with praise and excitement, as the designer breathed life into brands he previously worked with. Calvin Klein, while commercially successful thanks to its’ denim and underwear, has not been a leader in high fashion since the sale of the company to PVH Corp. in 2002. Simons’ was given full creative control over all of the American brand’s product categories — including runway lines, jeans, underwear, homewares, advertising and store design.
For his first advertisement for his debut Calvin Klein ready-to-wear collection, 205W39NYC, Simons’ deviated from the sexualized stardom usually found in Calvin Klein campaigns. The designer used a largely unknown cast for the photoshoot, which was shot at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and the Rubell Family Collection in Miami.
The campaign, “American Classics,” featured models in signature Calvin Klein, juxtaposed with artwork. Simons explained the idea behind the campaign noting, “It’s a celebration of Calvin Klein’s iconic underwear and jeans, acknowledging their status as Pop and showing them in the world of art.” While the campaign was met with mixed feedback, Simons’ first runway show was a success, as he began his interpretation of American culture for the brand.
The first collection featured cowboy boots, diner uniforms and of course, denim. Simons continued to marry the worlds of fashion, film and art. His following collection experimented with new motifs, like Andy Warhol prints and Sterling Ruby art installations. Cited inspirations were American dreams and nightmares. The spring 2019 ready-to-wear collection referenced American classic “Jaws” and “The Graduate.”
With this unprecedented amount of influence, there were endless possibilities — but just as many risks. While the brand and designer both share a fascination with youth culture, art and minimalism, the execution in their work differs greatly. Simons is a high-concept designer, while Calvin Klein is a brand based on mass marketing — which Simons has limited experience with.
The success of the runway shows failed to translate to a boost in sales. “Raf wasn’t a good fit for Calvin Klein and most of it wasn’t his fault, Calvin Klein is just going under. I don’t see them being able to recover, besides selling underwear and jeans. What is happening with American fashion? We don’t know. We’re in this moment right now where we really just don’t know,” says Cameron Dionne, a third year fashion marketing and management student.
Simons won multiple awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America during his time with Calvin Klein. Third-year fashion marketing and management student Christopher Parungao says of Simons’ future in fashion, “I love Raf and I think he’ll do well. I feel like a brand shouldn’t hire him right now. I think he should stick to his own stuff. I don’t think another company is going to see his time as valuable. It’s a waste of capital and resources. His vision is too expensive.” Though Calvin Klein will not be showing at fashion week, you can view Raf Simons fall 2019 menswear collection here.
