dior creative director raf simonsdior creative director raf simons

Still, as Simons sees it, he has charged himself to make Dior more than a brand that functions only for a special event. He understands that; hes really happy about it and doesnt feel like he has to try. Simons was born in January 1968 to Jacques Simons and Alda Beckers in Neerpelt, which was in the middle of nowhere, a village between cows and sheep. Both parents came from big families, and gatherings with aunts, uncles, and cousins fostered a sense of community and togetherness that Simons, an only child, was drawn to. Im not romantic about the past, Im romantic about the future, he once said. Raf Simons at the Christian Dior 2015-16 fall/winter haute couture collection fashion show in July in Paris. Having studied in the Architecture Department at The Polytechnic University of Milan, Ferres designs whilst at Dior certainly brought a more architectural look to the table. Back on April 23, two weeks after the announcement was made that Simons would be taking over, he was invited to meet every single person working at the house. Its cover features a lipstick red coat, inspired by Diors signature Bar jacket, from Simons fall 2012 haute couture collection, described by WWD as one of the most highly anticipated designer debuts ever.. Appointed as Creative Director in 2016, she is also the first woman to be at the helm of the brand, joining her equally famous colleagues Miuccia Prada and Donatella Versace. Dior sales thrived under Simons' creative tutelage, with must-have accessories, such as the embellished sneaker slides from Spring 2015 to the leather-latex boots, which were plastered in every major magazine this fall. Raf studies the situation and finds a way to deal with it within himself, says Olivier Rizzo. He is settling into a sprawling Haussmann-style apartment in the Eighth, one of fifteen he saw over the two days he looked for a place to live. He's now the designer at Martin Margiela. At least part of why Givenchys Riccardo Tisci, Vuittons Nicolas Ghesquire, and Valentinos Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have found success is that theyve devoted themselves completely to their brands. I feel a lot of people are questioning. 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. Dior by Raf Simons - TOKION In the official release, Simons cited personal reasons for his sudden departure, mentioning a desire to focus on other interests in his life, not just his own brand, but the passions that drive him outside his work. Elsewhere, he lamented a lack of incubation time for ideas. We are all familiar with the multi-million fashion business that stands today as Christian Dior. Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Dior Creative Directors Through The Years | The Renaissaint He copes with whatevers presented to him and does it in a very natural way. And as for Loppa, she says, It was good to see him approach this new career in such a mature and confident manner, especially since it brings such responsibility and visibility. This isnt lost on Simons. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. for famous clients like Princess Grace of Monaco and Sophia Lauren. Distribution and use of this material are governed by For the first few months, he refused to have a driver, getting himself between Paris and Antwerp every Friday evening, before Dior insisted otherwise. He found a balance between honoring the traditions of the influential house but also implement his own ideas and designs to provide a modern edge. Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, By Frederic Godart, Manon Frappier, Brian Henry, Chalhoub Group: A Luxury Success Story in the Middle East, Re-Defining WGSN's Value Proposition and Positioning: Insight Generation for Fashion and Lifestyle Industries, Managing Creativity in Luxury Fashion Houses: Raf Simons at Dior, Against All Odds: The World Food Programmes Use of Amphibious Vehicles in Humanitarian Logistics Operations, By Luk Van Wassenhove, Boas Meijer, Paul Dettmer, The Dual Career Negotiation: Role of Alma, By Lara Bekhazi, Martin Schweinsberg, Horacio Falcao, Eric Luis Uhlmann, Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour. Considering that the amount of merchandise required to fill Diors global flagships and shop-in-shops will only keep growingto succeed, after all, businesses must expandperhaps the solution to Diors current situation is to be found within the structure of the creative director job itself. Simons, who has never been in a gym (I could neverif one person looked better than me, I would run out!), was sports-obsessed as a child, with an athletically inclined father. Ferr first called it the Chouchou (favorite) bag, which was later named Lady Dior due to Princess Diana of Wales. As of 1 April 2020, he is the co-creative director of Prada, in partnership with Miuccia Prada. He initially opened a gallery and due to his friendship with Pablo Picasso, he was very successful at it. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Here, a breakdown of everything you need to know about Alaas new creative director. http://www.wsj.com/articles/raf-simons-to-leave-christian-dior-couture-1445535696. Conversations about Simons coming to Dior started with the houses president, Sidney Toledano, and LVMHs Delphine Arnault, and, lastly, Bernard Arnault, and were numerous. His beautiful curvy silhouettes are some of the most noteworthy of his designs and remain a Dior staple in the creations of many of the creative directors to follow (Raf Simons to give an example). It retails for 195 euros, or $195. Other rumored contenders like Jonathan Anderson and outliers such as Chitose Abe of Sacai have their own brands to manage. People told me afterward, Wow, its clear where you want to go. . The Belgian designer became a household name among women when he was appointed as the creative director of Dior, but for his male acolytes, Raf Simons means something much different. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Raf Simons | Biography & Facts | Britannica Couture will show in January while RTW will debut in March. Marc Jacobs deputized his right-hand woman Julie de Libran to design and host the pre-season shows at Louis Vuitton. This was received with a bit of controversy, as it was so different than the New Look of Sir Christian Dior. Ad Choices. We are going to destroy you because we have to start teaching from a blank white page, and you already have a vision. She encouraged him to design the mens clothes he wanted to make. But the Christian Diors work would have not been in vain, as after his death 6 creative directors have tried to follow Christians legacy and influence, and make the brand what it is today. We now know the fashion brand for the wearable designs that Maria Grazia Chiuri has brought to the table as its first female creative director. | While at Dior, his designs were classic and he introduced the Slim Look. Around this time, three things significantly came into play. They are two of the most influential designers in fashion, which makes this an unprecedented. During his tenure h. e launched his Trapeze collection with looser silhouettes and swinging skirts. How Raf Simons Became the Biggest Cult Icon in Menswear The bag was gifted to her and she wore it ever since in numerous occasions. Raf Simons Leaves Dior | EDGE United States | And maybe thats what makes her collections special. I cant live my life without music, and I cant see the girl without music.. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Maybe art. The hunt for a place was an eye-opener to him; rent in the City of Light and be prepared to install your own kitchen, which horrified him at first, and which he now laughs at. He introduced the famous Saddle Bag in 1999, and officially debuted in the spring/summer 2000 collection. Why Dior Is Struggling to Replace Raf Simons | BoF - The Business of If you want to read more about the bag, I have another article covering more details. Raf Simons. I am a fashion, beauty and make-up enthusiast. New Dior Book Focuses on the Raf Simons Years - WWD Julie Kosin is the senior culture editor of ELLE.com, where she oversees all things movies, TV, books, music, and art, from trawling Netflix for a worthy binge to endorsing your next book club pick. Original Article, 10/22:After three and a half years as creative director at Christian Dior, Raf Simons has announced he's exiting the house,WWD reports. The new creative director talks with Francesca Fearon about his quick transition and that jacket. in the eighties. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2021 INSEAD Institut priv d'enseignement suprieur. The bag was gifted to her and she wore it ever since in numerous occasions. A darling of critics and editors, prized for his exacting silhouettes and obsession with the here-and-now, Simons succeeded John Galliano at Dior after the British designers antisemitic comments and subsequent downfall. The news will come as a surprise to many in the fashion industry, given the. Personally, it means finding solace in long-standing friendships. The brand announced the news in a. The truth is, her designs prove wearability in a way not seen before by Dior. This case illustrates the key role played by a local distributor in the luxury goods industry in the Middle East. All Rights Reserved. Creating six collections a year, even with the two design teams that Dior established while Simons was in-house, is yeomans work. We have a lot of conversation about it: Where is it going? These days, its the art world that gets Simonss heart rate up. The Friday of Labor Day weekend, he was with archivist Soizic Pfaff when his publicist interrupted the work to say, Its arrived. It turned out to be a gift from Lanvins Alber Elbaz, a Dior pink organdy evening dress from spring 1957. This is a collision of Paris ancien and nouveau in more ways than one. Apr 16, by Christopher Ehlers Gucci CHIME Celebrates One Decade of Impact, 49 AAPI Designers Changing the Fashion Industry, Mr. Armanis Biography Is a Quiet Luxury Manifesto, Peter Do Is Helmut Langs New Creative Director, What to Make of Tom Ford's Surprise Goodbye. Are These Designers the Future of Fashion? He was the sixth couturier for the house; he followed Bill Gaytten, who helmed Diorfor a year after John Galliano's 2011 dismissal. (Still, the invitation to visit rested on not going into the kitchen, where he had only a refrigerator, and a microwave sitting on the floor.). Some crack up (John Galliano), other commit suicide (Alexander McQueen), and many launch proprietary labels. 11 Designer Pop-Ups Worth Visiting This Summer, Fashion Right Now Is About Looking Like Everyone Else, and It Sucks, But Brandon Wen, Freshly Appointed at Antwerps Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Is Out to Change That, On Lake Como, Dior Unveils a Couture Garden, Kylie Jenner Is Officially in a New Style EraAnd Were Loving It, Louis-Gabriel Nouchi Wins ANDAMs 300,000 PrizeInside the Prize Ceremony in Paris. From 2006 to 2009, he consulted at Jil Sander, where Simons was creative director, joining Jil Sander full-time in 2010. 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. Then the question will become, will we be right back where we are now in another three years? Simons, known for minimalist designs, has been creative director of Dior's women's collection for three-and-a-half years. And now I stand in this world, and yeah, its a bourgeois environment, in a house thats seen in France as the most important position in fashion, along with Chanel. Source: Pascal Le Segretain. The 344-page tome, published by Assouline, is the sixth volume in the series that Dior is releasing chronicling each creative director of the brand. You have to make that Thursday feel like New Years Eve. Mulier says his friends keep Rafs feet on the floor. We use cookies to analyze traffic and to ensure you get the best experience on our website. (Had Simons remained in his post, he likely wouldve taken that collection on the road in early December; last year he brought it to Tokyo.) . The Mall at Short Hills | NJ's Premier Shopping Destination The cover of Dior Raf Simons 2012-2015 published by Assouline. Apr 23, by Christopher Ehlers For the last couple of years, Simons has lived by this maxim: The fashion world doesnt know the word stop, so you have to make sure there are sublime moments every day. Professionally, that means not bringing stress with him to the atelier. He taught me a lot about artyou know his references are a lot of art and architectureand luckily this is also my background, so this helps, and I think it works in both ways.. He was born in January 12, 1968 Belgium. Yves was only 21 years old when he joined the house of Dior as creative director. Not long after, a stranger asked him at the same station, Are you Raf Simons? What do you say to that? Simons asks. He designed the now known Lady Dior Handbag in 1994. Raf is determined. Simons took them to Paris to show in a gallery in the Marais, secured some orders, and, says Loppa, the new generation was born.. Raf Simons is leaving Christian Dior. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. She's the former director of audience strategy and entertainment at HarpersBAZAAR.com. Its the clothes, its everything, the Internet.. Fashion Right Now Is About Looking Like Everyone Else, and It Sucks, But Brandon Wen, Freshly Appointed at Antwerps Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Is Out to Change That, Charles Jeffreys New Wedgwood Collaboration Is a Subversive Riff on a British Classic, The Most-Viewed Mens Spring/Summer 2024 Shows on, I Was a Fashion Designer by AccidentChristian Lacroix Celebrates a New Exhibition of His Costumes at SCAD Lacoste, A First Look at Pharrell Williamss Louis Vuitton Mens Debut Collection. If you've been as fond of Dior's handbags as we've been lately, we have some unfortunate news to share this morning. He frequently referenced iconic designs like the Bar jacket, as well as floral motifs but abstracted them and indulged his predilection for minimalism and futurism. By 2005, when the owners of Jil Sander were casting for a designer in the wake of Sanders second departure from her label, they decided Simons, whose brand of minimalisma very forward-thinking idea of tailoring blended with both a sophisticated reworking of street codes and his peerless ability to reference contemporary artwas the perfect candidate. Dior and I: Interview With Frederic Tcheng about Raf Simons, Dior Television provided a gateway to fashion through programs like CNNs Style with Elsa Klensch.. Detail of look 14, ensemble consisting of a top in embroidered pale blue faonn taffeta and trousers in pale blue taffeta,haute couture fall 2014. PARISChristian Dior SE creative director Raf Simons said he was stepping down, shocking the fashion world after just 3 years at the helm of the French couture house. And we sat there every day for two years, I am not kidding you. 3. Plastikman, is what he plays at home, in the studio, and at his shows. Jian. I walked and walked and walked, halfway around Paris, Simons says. He was creative director at Jil Sander (2005-2012), Christian Dior (2012-2015), and Calvin Klein (2016-2018). Who Is Pieter Mulier, the New Creative Director of Alaa? Yet theres an undeniable specificity to whats happening here. He was born in January 12, 1968 Belgium. Pieces from Simons early years often fetch high prices on resale sites and during auctions. The history of Dior is much longer and far more detailed than this. And now we make her move. 2023 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. So many people were trying to get close to Simons that it wouldnt have been surprising if someone decided to crowd-surf to get to him to congratulate him on his triumphant show. All rights reserved. He was born on 1st of August 1936 in Algeria. Beneath the glamorous veneer, the luxury and fashion industry puts tremendous stress on creative directors. Like all starting points, it took a lot of effort and many brilliant minds after Christian Dior to make this happen. Born in Belgium, Mulier studied at the Institut Saint-Luc in Brussels, a university that has produced an astounding amount of comic book artists and illustrators. Christian Dior is a revolutionary name in the fashion industry; a name which is exceptionally deserving and worthy of its icon status. Rihanna at Dior's spring 2016 show in Paris on October 2. A collection of our favourite reads across categories to get you started. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Dior has started a new trend by adopting the H-line silhouette into his designs. The case examines the global strategy of WGSN, which strives to enrich its robust online platform while adding more physical presence in the markets where it is growing, particularly in North America and Asia. Who Is Pieter Mulier, the New Creative Director of Alaa? All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In the official release, Simons cited personal reasons for his . Every fashion junkie has undoubtedly watched the beautiful documentary Dior & I, which saw Raf Simons' first steps as creative director and his attempts at modernising the . Dior Hritage collection, Paris. She was born in February 1964, Italy. Watch the Christian Dior Spring 2016 ready-to-wear show: By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. All Rights Reserved. He started selling fashion sketches on the street, which landed him a job in Figaro Magazine. It evolved from being colleagues to a friendship now. We started eating and chatting, and at one point, he turned to me and said, We are offering it to you. And it was an instant yes. During his tenure as creative director at Dior, he received critical acclaim for his Haute Couture and ready-to-wear collections. Now he's creative director at Christian Dior, one of the world's most famous houses. He liked that it sat at a crossroads, with views on three sides. Despite its sprawling size, its composed of interlocking small rooms that allow him to follow the morning ritual of walking around his apartment, which he does religiously back in Belgium. While at Dior, his designs were classic and he introduced the Slim Look. Photo: Alessandro Garofalo / Indigitalimages.com, Fashion Group Internationals Night of Stars. His decision to leave the brand sent shockwaves through the industry, suggesting that designers of Simons generation were not willing to bend unthinkingly to the demands and constraints of mammoth global brands. Gianfranco Ferre took the role of creative director at Dior in 1989 once Bohan decided to move back to London. . That moment with his mother and father tells you all you need to know about Raf Simons, which is to say he is unafraid of the power of his feelings, has a strong need for emotional depth, and wholeheartedly embraces family. News broke last Thursday that Raf Simons was bidding adieu to Christian Dior. I am so emotional that Alber did this, Simons says. By that point the academys fashion department was headed by the formidable Linda Loppa, also an Antwerpian boutique owner who sold only the most avant-garde designers of the day. There was no moment of doubt or fear. It was only when he left that the enormity of it sank in. In a statement Thursday, Simons said his decision to leave Dior was "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 of my work." PARIS, France Christian Dior, one of the world's biggest and most famous fashion brands, is struggling to find a creative director more than six months after the abrupt departure of Raf Simons. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. This meant that Yves Saint Laurent found himself creative director of Dior. After reading and analysing the case, students will be able to (i) evaluate the role played by creative directors in a luxury fashion house; (ii) understand the economics of the business and how haute couture drives profitability down and across associated business lines such as ready-to-wear and accessories; (iii) learn about the growing influe. Sidney Toledano, the chief executive officer of the Paris fashion house, made the announcement today in a statement. WWD and Women's Wear Daily are part of Penske Media Corporation. In the intervening days, the industry has come together to decry the relentless cycle of fashion shows and the inordinate demands placed on designersand, perhaps unaware of the irony, to guess who will step in to fill Simonss shoes. Raf Simons In his time at one of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, the Belgian-born. I wanted to make clear to everybody, and not just in the company, that . In that inclusive and sensitive way of his, it wasnt long before Simonss mother was giving his driver, Romain, food to take home. Ad Choices. Hes a supersweet guy who just ended up in a superglamorous place almost by accident. Update, 12/9:Diorannounced today that its Spring 2016 Coutureand Fall 2016 Ready-to-Wear collections will be designed by the brand'sin-house studio. Raf Simons to Leave Christian Dior Couture Collection presented in Paris on Oct. 2 was his last for the brand By Jason Chow and Christina Binkley Oct. 22, 2015 1:41 pm ET The pencil moustache, naked suit, genius rendered a complete brand revamp. Why not make it three? His eponymous label, launched in 1995 and shuttered last year, turned him into a cult designer in menswear, with creations that melded symbols of counterculture with reinterpretations of uniforms. Except for some dresses and the full skirts, it would be hard to pull her out of a crowd. Simons, known for minimalist designs, has been creative director of Dior's women's collection for three-and-a-half years. The two will be co-creative directors. Some of her designs like the we should all be feminists t-shirts are easily everyday attire. In 1995, Raf Simons launched his menswear label inspired by youth culture. The designer made his womenswear debut at Jil Sander, where he was artistic director from 2005 to 2012. Designer Raf Simons Is Leaving Christian Dior as Creative Director Given that Dior is still very much an active haute couture house, his coming out proper was his couture presentation in July in an htel particulier in the Sixteenth whose rooms were radiant with a million blooms by florist Mark Colle, a friend from Antwerp. Alexandra Ilyashov Photo: Victor Virgile/Getty Images. When he told them he had gotten a driver, they laughed and said, Oh, my God. That tends to pull you back into reality., That reality is shaping up to be a week-on, week-off schedule between Antwerp and Paris, and to a domesticated creature like Simons, it meant putting roots down in the French capital fast. Dior and I: seven things we've learned about Raf Simons Dior has named Belgian designer Raf Simons as its new artistic director, seven months after its icon, John Galliano, was convicted by a Paris court for drunken anti-Semitic ravings. The Dior gig would seem to make that impossible. Dior could do something similar with its pre-season collections, or, more radically, it could consider hiring a separate person altogether for haute couture.