Revisiting Raf Simons' Dior Era
What makes a good artistic director? It depends on who you ask. Casual fashion fans may crave theatrics and spectacle while brand executives are sure to be fixated on the bottom line. Throughout the maison’s storied history, Christian Dior has enlisted a myriad of artistic directors who have all carved their own niche in shaping the brand's identity. Starting with Dior by Christian Dior in 2016, each of the maison's eras is being expertly documented by publisher Assouline in a series of books. The latest covers the short-lived residence of Raf Simons.
While not the shortest tenure in the brand's history (that honour belongs to none other than Yves Saint Laurent who succeeded Monsieur Dior for only three years), Simons’ time at Dior wasn't much longer spanning from 2012 to 2015. Still, in the three and a half years that the Belgian designer was at the creative helm, he designed 20 collections, was the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary Dior and I, and secured Rihanna as the maison's first-ever black ambassador. Though arguably overshadowed by John Galliano whose over the top spectacle is the stuff of fashion legend, and current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri with her commitment to craft and ongoing feminist dialogue, Simons' tenure is more than worth a visit.
Having joined Dior in 2012 questions quickly arose on how Raf Simons, having just come from a lauded tenure at Jil Sander and still running his youth-culture centric eponymous label, would translate his ideas to a couture house known for its unapologetic femininity. Answers arrived when the designer presented his debut A/W 12 haute couture collection. Defined by sharp androgynous tailoring, sleek silhouettes, and Simons' expert eye for colour, the show was a far-cry from the fantasy and spectacle of his predecessors and marked a new, post-modern chapter in the brand's history.
These ideas were all expanded on throughout the designer's tenure, along with a penchants for futurism. Having no couture experience prior, Simons' utilised the storied ateliers of Christian Dior like a mad scientist with his designs rooted in innovation and experimentation. His S/S 13 haute couture collection saw an eclectic mix of textures with duchesse satin trousers topped with iridescent overlay reminiscent of liquid metal. Abstraction was another point of reference for Simons who didn't shy away from cut-out details and adorning sheer fabrics with sequin florals to look as if they're floating.
Bridging notions of the past and the future, for A/W 14 haute couture Simons reimagined pannier skirts with sleek scoop necklines harkening to the minimal silhouettes of the 90s coolgirls like Caroline Bassette Kennedy. For S/S 15 haute couture it was the mods of the 60s Simons looked to with embellished plastic overcoats and vinyl go-go boots. Of course, all these fanciful ideas in couture would trickle down to ready-to-wear and covetable accessories. Most notably with the introduction of the double-pearl Tribales earrings (which are still being reimaged by Chiuri today) and the couture fusion trainer, that arguably ushered in the era of high-fashion trainers.
The new tome chronicles Simons' tenure through 'dress portraits' by photographer Laziz Hamani and text from fashion journalist Tim Blanks. Offering revealing details of the designer's work from a fresh perspective, the collectible book promises to reintroduce audiences to what made Simons' designs for Dior so captivating. And hopefully covert any critics he had at the time.
Dior by Raf Simons is available now at Assouline.com.