Raf Simons debuts first campaign since leaving Dior

When Raf Simons announced that he would be leaving Christian Dior in December, he said that it was “a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand.” Subsequently, people have been excited to see how this decision affects the brand – now that its founder has more time, energy and creative juices at his disposal. Now Simons has unveiled his SS16 campaign, his first since leaving Dior.

For it, the designer has enlisted his long-term collaborators photographer Willy Vanderperre (who recently shot Pearl Liaison, AKA Matthew James Lent, for the autumn/winter 2015 issue of Dazed) and styled by Olivier Rizzo. Belgian model Luca Lemaire, for whom this is his sixth campaign for the brand, is photographed alongside another model whose identity is masked, somewhat eerily, by some material wrapped around his face.

The launch of this campaign comes at the start of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, during which Simons is scheduled to show later today. This will be the designer’s first show since leaving Dior and so excitement is, predictably, palpable. Stay tuned for coverage.