Introduction:
Raf Simons closed his namesake label in November 2022, with the Spring/Summer 2023 collection marking its final run, after 27 years. He later said the decision came down to wanting more private time, not financial trouble.
The Announcement That Ended a Raf Simons T-shirts Era
The news broke on Instagram, which is honestly how a lot of major fashion moments land these days. Simons posted that his label was closing after "an extraordinary 27-year journey," confirming that the Spring/Summer 2023 show, staged at Printworks in London during Frieze week, would be the brand's final collection. That show marked the end of everything under the Raf Simons name, from the runway pieces down to the archival Raf Simons t-shirts that had become genuinely collectible over the label's run. Fellow designers, including Marc Jacobs and Grace Wales Bonner, publicly reacted with tributes, which gives you a sense of how significant the closure felt within the industry itself.
What Happens to a Raf Simons Hoodie Silhouette After a Closure Like This
Here's what's worth understanding: closing the label didn't erase its influence. The oversized, drop-shoulder silhouette that defined a Raf Simons hoodie throughout the label's history had already reshaped how a generation of designers and streetwear brands think about proportion. That design language didn't close along with the brand; it kept showing up in Simons' subsequent work at Prada and across the broader fashion and streetwear world that had absorbed those ideas over nearly three decades.
Why Simons Actually Gave This Explanation
Unlike a lot of brand closures, which tend to be tied to financial trouble or acquisition fallout, Simons framed this one differently. He later told Highsnobiety that he decided to stop the brand largely for more private time, a notably personal and low-drama explanation compared to the usual industry narrative. Industry commentators at the time also pointed to the broader pressure of running an independent label at the scale modern fashion increasingly demands — production costs, calendar pace, and the resources needed to compete with conglomerate-backed houses all factor into why sustaining a fully independent brand gets harder over time, even for a designer as influential as Simons.
He Wasn't the First to Make This Choice
Simons' decision echoed a pattern set by a few other major independent designers before him. Industry voices at the time drew direct comparisons to Martin Margiela and Helmut Lang, both of whom also stepped away from their own eponymous labels unexpectedly, choosing to end things on their own terms rather than let a brand continue without them fully steering it. That comparison matters, since it frames the Raf Simons closure less as an isolated event and more as part of a recognizable pattern among designers who prioritize creative control and personal timing over simply keeping a label running indefinitely.
What Was Happening Alongside the Closure
It's worth noting Simons wasn't stepping away from fashion altogether. He had been co-creative director at Prada, alongside Miuccia Prada, since 2020, well before the closure of his own label, and that role continued uninterrupted through and after the announcement. In many ways, the closure freed up creative bandwidth that had been split between two demanding projects, letting him focus more fully on the Prada partnership going forward.
The Immediate Aftermath in the Resale Market
One predictable consequence followed almost immediately: prices for archival Raf Simons pieces began climbing on resale platforms once the closure was confirmed. With no new stock ever being produced again under the label, existing pieces became a fixed, shrinking supply, and demand from longtime fans and collectors pushed values up noticeably in the months following the announcement.
FAQ
1. When exactly did Raf Simons close his label?
The closure was announced in November 2022, with the Spring/Summer 2023 collection, shown at Frieze London, marking the label's final official run after 27 years in business.
2. Did Raf Simons explain why he closed the brand?
Yes. He later told Highsnobiety the decision came down to wanting more private time, a more personal explanation than the financial difficulties that usually accompany major brand closures.
3. Is Raf Simons still designing after the closure?
Yes, actively. He remains co-creative director at Prada alongside Miuccia Prada, a role he held even before closing his own label, and continues designing current collections there.
4. Did other designers close their labels the same way?
Yes. Martin Margiela and Helmut Lang both stepped away from their own eponymous labels unexpectedly in earlier years, a pattern industry voices directly compared Simons' decision to.
5. What happened to prices for existing Raf Simons pieces after the closure?
They rose noticeably on resale platforms. With no new production ever happening again under the label, existing pieces became a fixed supply, and collector demand pushed values up.
Final Thoughts
The short version: Raf Simons closed his namesake label in 2022, with a final Spring/Summer 2023 collection, not because of financial trouble but because he wanted more personal time after 27 years of running it. The brand's influence didn't close along with it, though the design language behind a Raf Simons hoodie or a pair of Raf Simons T-Shirts from the archive continues to shape fashion and streetwear well past the label's official end, and Simons himself remains actively designing at Prada today.
