Raf Simons Leaving Christian Dior; Maria Chiuri Rumored In

[squilliam]

...well. On the upside, it's nice that a woman is in charge of one of the biggest womenswear fashion houses in the world. On the downside, it's her. I'll reserve my judgement until it actually happens, but I'm just hoping Pierpaolo was the frilly one at Valentino...

I was gonna say the same. Let's hope she wasn't the one trick pony in that duo. Well at least Dior won't be so ugly anymore. At least they didn't hire the two in charge now. But I wanted Alber or Theyskens or Lacroix, but I guess they're too smart to take on such a stressful role

 

[dior_couture1245]

Well....I knew Olivier was a long shot - but he really is the only one who could do something truly wholistic for the brand that would be a very important chapter in the house's history. He's one of the rare breeds of designers who know how to handle the history of a house with ease, lightness, modernity and a distinctive, complete and comprehensive aesthetic vision that could extend to and be applicable to runway shows, stores, ad campaigns, cosmetics, celebrity endorsements, etc. If Dior knew what was good for them, they'd bring in Theyskens and make sure he's happy and good to stick around. Do we really need another Pretty Princess designer with Maria?

Will this just be Valentino 2.0 on the fashion show calendar? I'm fearful that all we'll be getting with this appointment is more embellished sheer gowns. Or cliche riffs on the Bar Jacket. I'm open minded, but not optimistic.

 

[AnaD]

Does this mean that Maira will still be attached to Valentino?

 

[GivenchyAddict]

Dior has still not made any comment or confirmed anything that you all are already complaining. Have some faith and let her do her first collection to judge. Valentino is really a strong brand with a good growth because the designers were able to produce good collections imo. Plus, she has a really solid background and she can be really surprising.

I wish her the best because this position is clearly not easy. Dior struggles to have a clear and interesting vision since a while now, she will be scrutinized like never before and this is the first time people will judge her ALONE when she used to be in duo with Pierpaolo and she will be the first woman at this position at Dior.

 

[ogepma]

Well this is rather anti-climactic but I think with all that has happened, it is understandable that they wouldn't want a risky choice. Perhaps stability is currently their ultimate goal and I can't fault them for that. I think Chiuri could do a good job. While Valentino may seem a little safe now, I remember how adventurous they were when they started and I liked what they did (even if every other person thought otherwise). I wonder if Piccioli will continue alone at Valentino and if so, it will be interesting to see if the aesthetic will change a bit.

 

[MulletProof]

...well. On the upside, it's nice that a woman is in charge of one of the biggest womenswear fashion houses in the world.

I was thinking that.. it's exciting, and honestly better someone that doesn't blow your mind and that has experience riding that nasty horse instead of a more fragile and experimental type of talent that's idealistic and will get burned by corporate demands in no time, and that will also never make anyone happy.. too risky, not enough risky, too safe, hard to sell, repetitive, too fickle.. I mean, better have a mindset that you'll be directing a toothpaste company considering the demands from left and right.

Was she remotely involved in Deborah Turbeville for Valentino? if yes, claps..

 

[gazebo]

I agree it's time for a woman to take this challenge.

We'll just have to wait and see.

I'm just really glad it's not Proenza!!!

 

[frk-frost]

Okay then.. totally unexpected choice. Which in a way is exiting but who knows.

 

[Spike413]

Remember when these luxury houses took time and made careful, considered choices that actually made sense in the grand scheme of things instead of trying to shoehorn whichever designer happens to be hot at the moment into a role for which they're not a true fit?

I mean you'd think that LVMH would've learned something from hiring Alexander McQueen for Givenchy back in the day. Yes he was a hot talent, yes he had buzz to spare, yes he put on spectacular shows that every journalist in the business stayed up all night to write about...but clearly none of that made him a great fit for the house. So yeah, Chiuri makes pretty dresses that celebrity stylists love to put their clients in...at the moment. The pretty dress trend will die and, since she's never shown any sort of breadth beyond twee tailoring and fantasy dresses at Valentino, so will her reign at Dior.

This trend of shoving whomever is new or notable into a high profile position without taking into account whether or not they're actually suited to growing a brand long term is why designers have the shelf life of a head of lettuce right now, and it's also why almost everything coming down a runway or appearing in a magazine looks indecipherable from almost everything else.

 

[eugenius]

I suspect she'll eventually sew herself into a corner, and wind up doing a hundred-and-one variations the New Look. She's proven quite adept at recreating the Same Look over and over again at Valentino, and has done it quite successfully, so I reckon she would be a shoe-in chez Dior.

I was still keeping my fingers for Chitose Abe from Sacai. But I'm just as happy to know that was just a dream.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I can't imagine anyone who's worked happily for Rei would enjoy working for a huge commercial house like Dior ...

With this news, I guess I can go back to sleep now ... please wake me when Alber gets back in the game.

 

[Nymphaea]

Probably turning Dior in Valentino 2, hopefully a bit more daring/experimental and I don't mean sheer dresses!

 

[Creative]

What a joke.

Dior lost it all.

 

[eugenius]

^ I can't imagine anyone who's worked happily for Rei would enjoy working for a huge commercial house like Dior ...

Oh, heavens No. I can't imagine that, either. I was just going by opinions I read online. I don't recall where..probably on the web's largest community of fashion-influencers, or something like that.


Without putting too much thought into it, I can't help but think: Wow, there is really nothing noteworthy going on right now, is there?

 

[perhydrol]

I'll wait for the official announcement, but if this rumour is true, it'll be the end of the house of Dior. They need a major shake-up, not that Valentino woman who has been making the same silhouette for at least 6 years. And we all know that she would do the same thing with the New Look. At the same time I somehow understand that they want to hire someone like her or Sarah Burton, their aesthetics are both sweet and pretty and it's much safer than the sense of experimentation of Theyskens for example. Little reminder here: his collections weren't as profitable as Dior would want. And all Dior wants now is money.

 

[Lola701]

I'm waiting for the official announcement but i think that it's the best decision they could make at Dior.
It's a coherent choice.
Dior is a bit our french equivalent of Valentino but they are facing an identity crisis for a long time now.
It's a safe choice but it's a good choice, business wise.

She will apply the formula that worked at Valentino: a chic, predictable and modern but visually appealing "declinaison" of a same style seasons after seasons.
She knows Couture and the fact that she is a woman will bring more press than ever.

We may be surprised. I mean, she could do a Phoebe Philo and totally reivent herself.
It's so weird to separate a duo. I wonder what Dolce & Gabbana, Proenza Schouler or even Dsquared could look like without one of their pair...

 

[Creative]

It really saddens me to see we are all so effing ANESTHETIZE.

We are in the most relevant fashion forum in the world and the reponse to Dior, one of the biggest symbols of French fashion, hiring a basic DRESSMAKER couldn' be more warm and indifferent.

It just says a lot about fashion's current state. So many changes, so many things happening, so many hype in absurd things... That it's not surprising that the next designer of Dior will be a woman whose biggest asset in fashion is making a princess line dress. RIDICULOUS.

Also, so funny to read this: "Well, she might not be the best designer but it's cool she is a woman". Are you being serious? Who cares about a designer's genitals? I really don't get it. A woman or a man, it should be someone talented. And this woman is not talented at all.

Anyway, you can really tell she was the last choice, that they didn't have many people willing to design for Dior and they went for her because they think she will sell.

I can't imagine what she will do, but I'm sure it won't be good. It can't be good.

Fashion is less and less interesting... CEO's are really killing it.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

This is so surprising, she is the last person i would expect to even be considered. Good luck to her, i hope she does well, Valentino is not exactly a tiny fashion house so she knows what is expected of her.

 

[vetements]

Her background was in accessories and I seriously doubt her close to 9 years at Valentino has done anything to change much, if her designs at Valentino is anything to judge. I kinda feel technical execution is something you have to learn from school and this separates the Theyskens, Mcqueens and Gallianos from the likes of Chiurri, and is something Dior needs, but I guess commerce wins eventually..

But Valentino mens did have a huge success especially accessories wise, so I guess we can expect lotsa it bags and shoes and sun glasses and scarves etc...

 

[Creative]

But can you replicate a success twice? And Valentino was hopeless, they had lots of luck (at the beginning they were beyond lost) and found a style that worked for the brand...

I can't imagine her doing something tailored, reinterpreting the bar jacket, offering six collections a year without doing the same in each one, playing with colors, with silhouettes... I just can't. I'm afraid it's going to be so corny.