Raf Simons tapped to replace John Galliano as Creative Director at Dior

I’m not sure why, but when I hear “Raf Simons” I think: DEF Comedy Jam—no, that’s Russell Simmons.
(Let’s pause for a moment to envision Kimora married to Raf–now THAT would be worth watching on TV)
Frankly either could be interchangeable to me, after all….the selection seems a bit of a travesty.

Galliano is synonymous with bias cut silks, those annoying 415 small button loop closures that encase his side zipper feature, the feminine draped neck and wisps of silk harkening to earlier days of fashion. You know, when women wore dresses and could legitimately blush about something…. Gone.

Simons (not Simmons….) is known for his work at Jil Sander. Minimalistic fashion, new textures and straightforward designs.

This is not the stuff of sugar plum faeries, Rapunzel, Knights in Shining Armour–it is a men’s sartorial focus–NO NONSENSE tailoring- (crafted with excellent “goods,” of course). His work is straightforward, typically ‘Belgian’ in aesthetic, but it is NOT the stuff of Christian Dior.

It’s like the ‘Mustang’ when Ford tried to keep the name, but turn it into a family car. Some things are what they are (and NOT what they are NOT).

Even master John Galliano himself attempted to stray from the core that WAS the House of Dior.

He got all ‘Def Comedy Jam’ on our butts for a few seasons–bringing in tag art, logo denim, handbags that resembled license plates–but John returned to the iconic ‘New Look Glamour’ that put the Brand front row centre after sales reflected a conclusive slip in revenue and popularity.

Mr. Galliano revived the silks and chiffons and ousted the funk and denim that he had peppered Dior with—returning to better sales and dare we say: ‘Lady-like’ dressing.

Apparently Simons had met with Marc Jacobs as sister company in the LVMH (Moet, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton) dynasty to head Louis Vuitton. Sister company, Celine, is currently headed by Phoebe Philo. Minimalism at its best? We’ll see.

Fashion is a business and one might suppose that this is reflecting a more no nonsense woman going forth in 2013. Maybe we should just fast forward and start shopping Tom Ford’s Men’s Line. Why even bother with these interim steps. Art imitating life. I’m sure that we can expect to see men wearing more florid pastels and with lace treatment–after all men need to ‘feel pretty, too’.