Raf Simons to Replace John Galliano at Dior

Parisian fashion house Dior is set to announce Raf Simons as the next creative director – replacing John Galliano who was fired last year after making anti-Semitic remarks. The hiring of Simons marks an arduous search by LVMH chairman, Bernard Arnault, for someone to take the reins of the 66-year-old luxury brand. Marc Jacobs, the American star at Louis Vuitton, was a favorite until talks broke down late last summer, reportedly over compensation. Other big names, including Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, rejected Dior’s advances. Highly regarded or not, Dior seemed to have trouble finding someone. In Simons, Dior gets a highly-respected designer who was chiefly responsible for the bright colors that washed over much of the affordable clothing market during his time at Jil Sander. While not the obvious choice for Dior, given his history in avant-garde men’s fashion, Simons is nonetheless the logical one. In his six years at Jil Sander he expanded its minimalist form to include more feminine shapes, some based on ’50s couture. Among his responsibilities will be overseeing advertising and lending his opinions in other areas as needed.

Source: The New York Times