Raf Simons to host debut runway show in New York

London - Raf Simons, designer and creative director behind his eponymous menswear label, is set to show his collection overseas in the United States for the first time.

The Belgian designer is set to relocate his show from Paris to New York, following his recent appointment as chief creative officer at Calvin Klein. As the designer is now based in New York for his new role, showing his own label's collection in the city makes sense. Simons is set to show his Autumn/Winter 2017 collection during New York Fashion Week: Men's, on February 1, announced the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) last Friday.

The AW 2017 season will also mark his debut as creative director for Calvin Klein. "The CFDA is delighted to add Raf Simons to NYFW: Men’s," said Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which oversees the men’s collections showing in New York in a statement. "Raf is one of the most influential designers on the international fashion stage. His creativity and energy are a welcome addition as we continue to grow this important platform for American menswear."

The Belgian designer first launched his eponymous menswear label in 1995, and had enjoyed both commercial success and critical acclaim over the past two decades, first as creative director of Jil Sander and later as creative director at Dior. His addition to the calendar for NYFW: Men's is a smart play from the CFDA, as the recently new men's fashion week has struggled to attract many big names.

Photo: Raf Simons, courtesy of CFDA