Raf Simons has been announced as Artistic Director for the brand
It took months of speculation and rumours to finally have it revealed that Raf Simons would be taking over as head of design at Dior.
Over the past year the Parisian house has been taken through the mud when then head designer John Galliano, was videoed during a racist and anti-Smitic outburst in a Paris cafe.
John was later dismissed from the house as well as his own label, John Galliano.
Whilst Bill Gaytten had taken over the temporary reins it was evident to all that Dior was in need of a new direction, especially since Gaytten's last Haute Couture collection was panned by the fashion critics.
Simons will unveil his first collection for Dior in July during Paris Couture Week under his new job title of artistic director of haute couture, women's ready-to-wear and accessories collections.
But the question still remains, who is Raf Simons?
The 44-year-old is different to most designers, as he studied industrial design, not fashion design.
Whilst fingers were pointed straight to him once Galliano had lef the fashion house, it comes as a bit of a surprise when you look at his collections for Jil Sander, where he previously worked.
Jil Sander is a house with a strong miminmalist aesthetic, his focus at the house was 'purism'. And the breakthrough and most rememberable collection during his seven years has to be the Spring/Summer 2011 season. Which featured colour block ballgown skirts, paired with a simple white tee and we saw on plenty of celebrities, including Tilda Swinton at the 2011 Golden Globes.
Simons says: "I feel fantastic. It is one of the ultimate challenges, and a dream to go to a place like Dior, which stands for absolute elegance, incredible femininity and utter luxury."
The Belgian born designer with be Dior's sixth couturier, and his general design aesthetic may give hints as to the new direction the house is heading for, I suppose only time will tell?
"It is with the utmost respect for its tremendous history, its unparalleled knowledge and craftsmanship that I am joining the magnificent house of Dior. Mr Christian Dior has always been for me the most inspiring couturier. Around the globe, the name Dior symbolizes the ultimate in elegance and refinement. I am truly humbled and honored to become Artistic Director of the most celebrated French house in the world," he explains.
After studying, Raf went on for a few years of self-study before he became a menswear designer in 1995. He began work with Walter Van Beirendonck in Paris, where he was exposed to the work of Martin Margiela and Jean-Paul Gaultier.
He presents his collections twice a year, usually in Paris, but works and lives in Antwerp, Belgium. There's a very high chance that he may have to move though now due to the high demand of working for Dior.
I look forward to seeing what new direction, if any, Raf decides to take.
Femalefirst Taryn Davies
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