BELGIAN fashion designer Raf Simons, considered one of the most talented of his generation, will leave Calvin Klein little more than two years after joining it, parent company PVH.
Simons revitalized Calvin Klein after being appointed chief creative officer in 2016. His New York fashion week shows were the talk of the industry, beginning with his February 2017 debut, which had a clear political message, opening and closing with the David Bowie song This is Not America.
Celebrities flocked to his shows, critics raved and the fashion establishment rewarded him with three top awards in two years. He won the Council of Fashion Designers of America award for womenswear in both 2017 and 2018, and in a rare feat also took the menswear award in 2017.
Simons, 50, who previously worked at Dior and Jil Sander, brought an artsy European approach to the American brand, often citing numerous cultural references but especially Hollywood as inspiration. In September, his runway show riffed on the movie Jaws, with models in various types of wetsuits strolling in front of enormous screens depicting a glistening ocean.
Calvin Klein will not show during New York fashion week in February 2019.
