Well known as an inventive designer who gets his inspirations from world headlines turning them into inspiring collections, Raf Simons was the first designer in the 1990s that gave menswear a new graphic pencil-slim silhouette.

Born in Neerpelt, Belgium in 1968, Simons studied furniture design before launching his fashion career. He presented his first collection in Milan in 1995 but moved to Paris after just one season.

In 2000, Raf Simons was appointed head professor at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Three years later, (2004) he won the 100,000 euros grand prize for the Swiss Textiles Award held at Lucerne, Switzerland.

“I couldn't be happier to work for a brand as pure and clean as Jil Sander. I am eager to carry forward the simple, pristine design that the Jil Sander name has come to represent. There is a strong affinity between how I perceive my own design and the core values that the Jil Sander brand embraces,” the iconoclastic designer said in a press statement.

Simons will make his Sander debut in the beginning of 2006, by presenting Fall/Winter 2006 collections in Milan.

In another development, word on the street in Paris is that Italian designer Roberto Mennichetti has left Celine and that the company is already interviewing replacements for him. Included on the list of possible replacement is New York based designer Peter Som.

Mennichetti, who is well remembered as the designer who started the rejuvenation of the British brand Burberry launched his own label only last year and introduced it in February 2004 during the Spring 2005 New York fashion season.

Two months later, in April 2004, the Italian designer was appointed by LVMH as the Creative Director of Celine, a post vacated by Michael Kors who held the position for 8 years.

Founded in 1947 as a children’s shoe store, Celine expanded its product lines to leather goods and accessories during the 1950s. During the 1960s, Celine started offering a women's ready-to-wear and experienced worldwide expansion by establishing retail stores around the world during the 1970s.

More known for its classic designs than being revolutionary, Celine’s very chic and very luxurious French looks are what its established clientele looks for.

Mennichetti leans on experimentation and developing new fabrics, and he looked like a perfect fit in the beginning received lukewarm acceptance by both the fashion press and retail buyers for the two collections he signed for Celine.

There has been no official announcement from Celine or LVMH about Mennichetti vacating his post.