Translated by
Benjamin Fitzgerald
Published
Jul 21, 2016
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Raf Simons: his arrival at Calvin Klein looms

Translated by
Benjamin Fitzgerald
Published
Jul 21, 2016

The Calvin Klein-Raf Simons saga should soon come to an end, according to the latest rumours. 

The Belgian designer left Dior last October after three years as the women's director, announcing that he "wanted to concentrate on other interests, that being my own label", leaving former-Valentino director, Maria Grazia Chiuri to take his place. 

Simons, say the sources, should make his debut as Calvin Klein's artistic director by end of August, early September.



After dismissing designers Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli, who had held the creative role for around ten years, justified the duo's departure by "the need to unify the direction of the men's and women's collections" and to "adopt one global vision for all business segments."  

The American brand has experienced turbulence since April, marked by an unprecedented wave of dismissals and resignations heralding a new era for the brand.

Though the name Raf Simons has been on everybody's lips for over a year now, the arrival of the brand's "liberator" is yet to be revealed.

According to an internal source, "everybody is aware of his imminent arrival. The question isn't if its a rumour or not, but rather, knowing what date it will be announced," the source added.

"After at first announcing the date would be October 2016, it's moved forward to the end of August or early September, just before New York fashion week." 

A mystery it remains then. In June, the man himself, Calvin Klein announced, "the whole industry is aware" adding that "the name could not be announced, the future designer is still under contract with another brand."

In June, Raf Simon delighted onlookers at trade show Pitti Uomo where he chose to present a retrospective of his career, assembling 260 models inside the Stazione Leopalda, before concluding with his spring-summer 2017 fashion show, which closed the 90th edition of the Italian exhibition. 

An major event before a major next step: the rebirth of one of the most iconic fashion brands in the world.

 

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