After more than a year of speculation Christian Dior has finally named a successor to John Galliano. Raf Simons, the former creative director of Jil Sander, will step into his very big shoes.
I must admit that I feel a bit sorry for Bill Gaytten in this. He’s done an admiral job filling in after Galliano’s very public fall from grace. In fact, Christian Dior took $1.39 billion in revenue last year, an impressive feat considering the controversy.
However it’s hard to argue with Simons’ credentials. He did great things for Jil Sander, and if Sander hadn’t wanted to return to his own company Simons would probably still be there. He’s also sure to make a splash at Christian Dior. In fact, his recent ready-to-wear show in Milan was even compared to the work of the Christian Dior himself. Who knows what profits the company will post in the coming seasons? We’ll get some indication when Simons shows his first Christian Dior collection at Paris’ runways this July.
While Christian Dior hasn’t made an official statement, Simons commented “The first time I heard about the Dior position, I thought, this feels right” after the announcement of his appointment.
Now that we finally have the big news confirmed, what do you think of Raf Simons’ appointment? Do you think he’s the right fit for the French fashion house?
[Image Source: Passion Senior 2008/Flickr]
