Raf Simons will join Prada as co-creative director, marking the first time the Italian fashion house will have an outsider working with renowned head designer Miuccia Prada.

Belgian-born Simons, 52, will join Prada on April 2, the group said in a statement. He was most recently creative director at Calvin Klein.

A multi-year restructuring at Prada began to pay off in 2018 when sales returned to grow for the first time in four years thanks to a new strategy aimed at rejuvenating the brand by renovating shops, launching new products and boosting online sales.

Miuccia Prada, 70, told a news conference in Milan that Simons' appointment was not intended to pave the way for a possible succession as Prada's top designer.

"Absolutely not," she told reporters. "I like working, don't make me older than I am," she said.

- Reporting by Claudia Cristoferi