Simons’ Dior Debut‎

Great to see Belgian maestro Raf Simons‘ inspiration for this whole haute couture collection are the vintage collections of Christian Dior. It’s Raf’s first couture collection and he’s said he finds that period between 1947 (Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’) and 1957 extremely attractive but with modernity – so here we have Grace Kelly with bare shoulders, shiny pointy, low heeled pumps and a cinching glossy belt. To the sound of spa-space music and in a fan-waving heat, lollipop models sashayed through the mono-chromatic flower-clad walls, with each room a different shade of red, white and blue with delphiniums, orchids, red, orange and pink roses and peonies.  Anna Wintour, Louis Vuitton’s Marc Jacobs,  Donatella Versace, Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, Pierre Cardin, Riccardo Tisci, Diane Von Furstenberg, Princess Charlene of Monaco, Marion Cotillard, Olivia Palermo and Sharon Stone were in the front row of a grand Parisian town house on the Avenue d’Iena festooned with a million flowers. They were there to see ‘beautiful, perfect and simple. Modern couture.’ Long black dresses or cigarette pants with flashes of red, pinks and metallics. Tailored suits with pinched-in waists, pockets and ballgown skirts. Strapless long gowns of organza and tulle with backs of dark brocade and shiny bodices with netted faces. Thick futuristic chokers. The list goes on.  54 dresses and we loved them all.

Raf Simons replaces John Galliano as creative director at the helm of Dior.

VOGUE fashion director Lucinda Chambers has given her verdict on Raf Simons’ first couture show for Dior – “It was such a beautiful homage to Dior, a mix of the modern, clean and unexpected with a real lightness of touch. He trod a brilliant line of being him and being respectful of Dior, I loved it.”

Here’s some shots of the show… or you can watch it again, and again here.

Christian Dior by Raf Simons – ‘Grace Kelly’

Christian Dior by Raf Simons – Blue

Christian Dior Haute Couture AW 12 by Raf Simons ‘Red’

Christian Dior Haute Couture AW 12 by Raf Simons ‘Shoulders’

Christian Dior Haute Couture AW 12 by Raf Simons ‘Tie-dye’

Christian Dior Haute Couture AW 12 by Raf Simons ‘Double Sided’

Christian Dior Haute Couture AW 12 by Raf Simons ‘Fuschia & Cigarette’ and ‘Peplum & Capris’