Raf Simons Expected to Be Named Calvin Klein's New Creative Director This Week

PVH Corp., the company which owns Calvin Klein, is expected to name Raf Simons as Calvin Klein’s new creative director this week. This news would end nine months of speculation surrounding the next stop for Dior’s former artistic director. Rumors started circulating in November, when WWD announced that Simons was being tapped to head Calvin Klein’s design department. Those rumors heightened when Francisco Costa, the creative director of Calvin Klein’s women’s collections and Italo Zucchelli, the creative director of men’s collection, left the brand.

The reason behind the delay in announcement is because of a stringent non-compete clause from his contract with Dior. This ended at the end of July, freeing him to join Klein. However, it is understood that the designer has already relocated to New York last month, and has begun meeting with key Klein staff. His first collection is likely to be for Fall 2017. In June, Calvin Klein himself said, “They won’t announce [who it is] publicly because it’s under contract. But the whole industry knows.” Additionally, Raf Simons will continue designing for his eponymous men’s brand which is based out of Paris.