Raf Simons has stepped down as creative director of Dior. With the recent SS16 collection being his last during his three and a half years at the maison, Simons, 47, decision not to renew his contract comes as a surprise with personal reasons being cited as the reason behind the departure.
Acclaimed for creating a fresh, more restrained brand identity at Dior and injecting the maison’s heritage with a mindful modern edge, Simons replaced John Galliano as creative director after the widely reported controversy which led to Galliano leaving the brand in 2011. Simons has maintained an amiable relationship with the chairman of LVMH Bernard Arnault throughout his short tenure.
As for who will be stepping into Simons shoes now that the designer’s entire focus will presumably be restored to his avant-garde Antwerp based menswear label, Dior has yet to make an announcement about his replacement – with lots of major names being suggested. Glass for one would like to see an unknown talent take Simon’s place in the same vein as Alessandro Michele’s takeover at Gucci, which has seen the brand soar since he took creative control.
In an official statement Simons said “It is after careful and long consideration that I have decided to leave my position as creative director of Christian Dior’s women’s collection. It is a decision based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive me outside my work.
“Christian Dior is an extraordinary company, and it has been an immense privilege to write a few pages of this magnificent book. I want to thank Mr Bernard Arnault for the trust he has put in me, giving me the incredible opportunity to work at this beautiful house surrounded by the most amazing team one could ever dream of.”
by Liam Feltham
Images courtesy of Dior