Raf Simons co-creative director of Prada - Lifestyle

"A challenge": this is how Miuccia Prada describes the arrival as creative co-director of the Belgian designer Raf Simons, who will design the Prada lines with her.
The announcement, which had been in the air for some time, was made on February 23 in Milan by the two creatives.
"It is the first time in the history of fashion - said the president and CEO of Prada Patrizio Bertelli, introducing the two creative co-directors - that two expert stylists, with mutual success, will work together: the Prada group proves to be an anticipator of a global change. "
"We do not know where we are going but it is positive to strengthen the creative aspect - underlined Miuccia - we like and respect each other, let's see if we will go somewhere".
Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli chose Simons as early as 2005, for the creative direction of the Jil Sander brand, when the brand was still owned by the Prada Group. "Our relationship began in 2005 - said Simons, former creative director not only of Jil Sander, but also of Dior and Calvin Klein - we have always had a good relationship and dialogue on fashion, politics and content. Then Bertelli told me approached after my exit from Calvin Klein, we have been talking for a year and we have discussed a lot about this possible future, with a very broad dialogue on creativity. I question the fashion system and this has led me to talk in an open way with many stylists who in turn question their position within an evolving system ".
The point, for Simons, born in 1968, is to see how "to re-evaluate the creativity that is the heart of fashion, it all started with a reflection on how to evolve this relationship".
"Many creatives feel in difficulty, they have the impression that fashion is increasingly moving in a direction that excludes creativity, it is an attitude that Miuccia and I - he underlined again - do not share and we think that this collaboration can help reposition the role of business ".
The arrival of Simons, whose contract in Prada officially starts from April 2 and and as far as communicated does not expire, is not linked to a possible succession: "Absolutely not - Miuccia replied to those who asked him - I like to work and I'm ready to do it even more. "
"We have expressed several times the desire to work together, now we have come to say - added Simons - 'let's do it!".
Simons, which has its own brand based in Antwerp, will continue to design the brand that bears its name, but explained that it will often be in Milan to work on the Prada collections, but not those of the Miu Miu brand. To those who asked her if it was not strange to make this announcement on a day marked by concerns about the evolution of the coronavirus, which led, for example, Giorgio Armani and Laura Biagiotti to choose for a parade behind closed doors, Miuccia Prada replied that " the problem is working and living, we must work even if bad and difficult things happen, we must react ".