Belgian designer Raf Simons has a simple view on how fashion works in the 21st century. 'I always think of contemporary fashion as a circle,' he says. 'In the middle you have people like Nicholas Ghesquiere [from Balenciaga] who are defining it and everything flows around them. Once you begin to move around the edges, what you are creating is no longer contemporary.
'Many designers have stayed there while others such as Miuccia Prada have moved on. She understands 21st century fashion and what her clients want and need, and I think I also see that. You can work against the path or follow it, while defining your own type of aesthetic.'
While Simons remains modest about his role in fashion, there is no denying the influence he has had, both with his namesake label and as creative director for minimalist label Jil Sander.
When he launched Raf Simons in 1995, he created a new type of tailoring for men, putting them in skinny suits that were small at the shoulders, defining a new shape for the 90s. Collection after collection, he drew from the street, creating clothes inspired by the attitudes and needs of today's men, while also looking to the future.
Later, when he joined Jil Sander in 2005, Simons made a strong statement by focusing on clean yet structural lines that respected a woman's form while showing off its beauty. The press took notice and he has since been lauded as one of the most influential names in womenswear.
'What I wanted to do was to take my time,' he says. 'I didn't want to make a revolution in the first season and shock everybody. I wanted my first collection to fulfil the needs of the clients but also activate the interest of the press and the audience who weren't watching any more.'