Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2014, Paris France. Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
With the latest catwalk collections almost upon us, major announcements from the Dior and Alexander McQueen camps have set the global fashion industry abuzz with speculation.
Despite rumors that the fashion pack will have to wait a little longer to find out who will replace Raf Simons at Dior—Alber Elbaz, who’s currently battling it out in court with former employer Lanvin, remains the number-one contender, although Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing is a name that’s also being bandied around—the French house announced that its next two collections, Spring/Summer 2016 couture and Fall/Winter 2016 RTW, will be created by the brand’s in-house team.
The decision to not rush making an appointment is no doubt strategic, given the brand’s turbulent recent history, including the very public axing of John Galliano followed by Simon’s decision to quit after only three years.
Meanwhile, Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton will return to London Fashion Week for one season only in February, the British Fashion Council announced. Before becoming a fixture on the Paris schedule, a McQueen show was the hottest ticket at LFW (see the video of this 2001 asylum-style spectacle I had the privilege of witnessing). The company hasn’t disclosed what’s behind the decision, but we can confidently predict a certain Duchess of Cambridge will be front row.
