Belgian designer Raf Simons announced that he is saying goodbye to his 27-year-old brand that bears his name. Founded in 1995, the Antwerp-based brand was known for its counterculture and youthful designs. Announcing the news with a short statement on Instagram on Monday, the Belgian-born fashion designer announced that the brand’s 2023 Spring/Summer collection, which he exhibited in London in October, will be the last collection. While the reason behind the brand’s closure is unclear, some sources point out that this decision may be due to the turbulent financial market facing the fashion industry, according to the Guardian. In November 2019, American designer Zac Posen closed his label after 20 years of business, while in June 2020, the New York-based brand Sies Marjan announced that it would close due to the financial impact of Covid 19.

Simons announced the news in a post he shared on his Instagram account with the words “The Spring/Summer 2023 collection will be the last season of an extraordinary 27-year journey and the Raf Simons brand” and thanked his teammates: ” I don’t have words to express how proud I am of everything we’ve accomplished. I’m grateful to my team, everyone we’ve collaborated with, and our loyal followers for their incredible support.”

Vogue writer Irene Kim said that although Raf Simons has closed her brand, plus size knits are still out of school. He states that his popular culture and youth-oriented designs such as inspired lab coats and screen-printed t-shirts will live on in street style forever.

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