With January's haute couture season approaching, all eyes in Paris remain fixed on Christian Dior and, specifically, who will replace John Galliano at the grand French fashion house.
Over the past six months, Marc Jacobs - responsible for the creative direction of Louis Vuitton, the jewel in the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) crown, and the luxury goods conglomerate which also owns Dior - was believed to be the front-runner. It is now thought that talks broke down last month and a new name has come to the fore: that of Raf Simons, the Belgian-born designer whipping up a storm at Jil Sander. Fashion trade paper, Women's Wear Daily, has cited 43-year-old Simons as a significant contender, suggesting that Dior were in ongoing discussions with him, but that his release from his contract with Jil Sander, might prove a stumbling block. Mr Simons has been creative director of Jil Sander since 2005.
In fact, his appointment as head of womenswear there came as something of a surprise. Although Simons' talent as a designer was never in question, he was known for menswear. His signature collection of minimal looks based on street culture were thought to have revolutionised the way men dressed in the early part of the last decade.
Anyone doubting his ability to turn his attention to the more ephemeral craft of women's fashion was quickly proved wrong, however. Simons handwriting was swiftly established as a perfect fit with Jil Sander, a company founded by the eponymous German-born designer in 1968, dedicated to the creation of a modern wardrobe for working women.
Dior appears to be in no great rush to replace Galliano, who was sacked last March after a 15-year tenure, following allegations of a racist and anti-Semitic outburst in a Paris café. In September Galliano was found guilty by the French court on both counts.
