Raf Simons replaces Galliano in Dior

Zeenews Bureau London: Parisian fashion house Dior has announced Raf Simons as the creative director, replacing John Galliano, who was dismissed following his antisemitic rant last year. Rumors of Simons joining Dior heated up once news broke of his departure from Jil Sander. Simons, who also produces an eponymous menswear line, joined a number of possible candidates for the job during the year it remained vacant, including Marc Jacobs, Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci, Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz and Theory’s Olivier Theyskens. The appointment is likely to be extremely well received by the fashion industry. Talking to a fashion magazine, Simons said, “I feel fantastic… It is one of the ultimate challenges, and a dream to go to a place like Dior, which stands for absolute elegance, incredible femininity and utter luxury.”