WSMR

When Simon Met Ralph is the creative vision of Simon Ungless and Jody Niederkohr, a collaboration rooted in over 40 years of combined experience in the fashion industry. With a deep commitment to sustainability and artistic reinvention, the duo focuses on the rehabilitation of previously worn garments, accessories, and gently used home goods. Each piece is transformed through thoughtful craftsmanship, utilizing diverse textile techniques such as printmaking, felting, and dyeing. At the heart of the project lies a desire to breathe new life into the forgotten and discarded by merging fashion, art, and conscious living into one-of-a-kind, wearable stories.

Simon Ungless 

Simon Ungless graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1992 with an MA in Fashion with Distinction. He began his career collaborating with Lee Alexander McQueen on the Taxi Driver collection and continued on iconic collections including Nihilism, Banshee, and Dante, also introducing Sarah Burton to McQueen. Ungless has worked in fashion education, consulting for institutions including Academy of Art University and Polimoda, and served as Creative Director for Korean brand Member Holiday. With 35 years in the industry, he has designed, developed, and directed collections for clients including Tory Burch, Givenchy, Paul Smith, Versace, Nike, Levi’s, and Calvin Klein.

Jody Niederkohr

Jody Niederkohr, artisan and visionary behind the When Simon Met Ralph collection, is known for his intricate felting and dye techniques, with pieces worn by Angelina Jolie and fashion critic Cathy Horyn. From a background in fine dining to art and fashion, Niederkohr brings boundless creativity to textile design. Together with Simon Ungless at Marinship Studios in Sausalito, he continues to push the boundaries of craftsmanship and artistry.

But, who is Ralph?

The name came from a moment of inspiration during an interview. When asked about his side project, Simon glanced down at what he was wearing—a Ralph Lauren shirt he had just rehabilitated—and spontaneously replied, “When Simon Met Ralph.” The name stuck, capturing the spirit of transformation, craftsmanship, and unexpected creativity that defines the brand.