Raf Simons has been credited as one of the "most influential designers".
Raf Simons
The 48-year-old fashion designer - who launched his own eponymous label in 1995 - has been described as one of the most prominent figures on the "international fashion stage".
Speaking about the Belgian creative mastermind to The Malay Mail Online, the President and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Steven Kolb, said: "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."
Meanwhile, Raf, who quit his role as the creative director of the luxury designer brand Dior earlier this year after three and a half years leading the womenswear department, has admitted he left the label because he wanted to focus on his own line.
Speaking previously about his departure, he said: "It's a decision founded on one hand by my desire to concentrate on other centre of interest in my life, notably my own label, as well as the passions that motivate me beyond my professional activities."
However, the fashion mogul believes the fashion industry should be "much more liberated" and would be more exciting if it was to function like a museum by allowing other designers to act as "guest curators" for other designers.
Speaking previously about the fashion realm and how he would like to develop it, he said: "I would be excited if Miuccia [Prada] would do the Raf Simons brand for a season, and then I would do a season for Marc Jacobs in New York, and Marc would do Prada; I think the audience would be totally excited by that.
"Maybe fashion should operate more like a museum, where you have a museum curator, but you have guest curators come in, too. I think that the fashion business has recently stopped exploring its own possibilities; it should become much more liberated once again."
Raf is set to unveil his debut collection for Calvin Klein's Autumn/Winter 2017 collection during Men's Fashion Week in February next year.
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