Dior replaces John Galliano with Raf Simons

More than a year after it fired John Galliano as creative director, Dior has reportedly selected Raf Simons to replace him, the New York Times reports.

Simons, 44,  previously led Jil Sander for six years, leaving in February when Sander returned to the brand. Unlike the flamboyant Galliano, who ended each runway show with a flourish of theatricality, Simons is temperamentally more restrained -- although he did have tears in his eyes when he presented his last show for Sander in Milan in February.

During its year-plus of searching for a replacement, Dior had considered a galaxy of star designers, including Marc Jacobs of Louis Vuitton and Alber Elbaz of Lanvin. Meanwhile, the label's studio chief  Bill Gaytten kept things humming along at Dior.  

Galliano was fired after evidence that he erupted in anti-Semitic rants on a couple of occasions in a bar in Paris. He later was convicted and fined by a court -- anti-Semitic comments are a crime in France. He also reportedly sought treatment for substance abuse, but the episode also shone a light on the stress designers are under to stay creative in the almost nonstop cycle of fashion seasons.

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-- Susan Denley

Photo: Designer Raf Simons, formerly of Jil Sander, has been selected to replace John Galliano as creative director at Dior. Credit: Giuseppe Aresul / Associated Press  

Fashion News: Should Obama daughters be treated as fashion plates?

The Cut questions whether the media (and specifically cites the Huffington Post's coverage in particular) should comment on how well-dressed first daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha Obama, 10, are when they, say, attend church or a holiday concert with their folks. They should be treated as kids, not fashion plates, says writer Amy Odell, since unlike young teens Hailee Steinfeld and Chloe Moretz they are not putting themselves forward trying to build careers built at least partly on their looks. [The Cut]

Jil Sander designer Raf Simons is the new front-runner to replace John Galliano as creative director at Christian Dior, sources tell WWD. [WWD]

Elizabeth Macias, the woman who reportedly sprayed fellow Wal-Mart shoppers with pepper spray during this year's Black Friday sales, has said she did so only in self-defense to protect herself and her kids from rabid fellow shoppers. Now she says she is considering suing Wal-Mart for failing to have adequate onsite security. [ABC New]

My colleague Jenn Harris and I are at odds over the outfit model Brooklyn Decker wore to Saturday's Spike TV Video Game Awards. I love the cute dress but am stopped by the mustard yellow shoes. Jenn -- arguably more with-it than I am -- thinks the shoes are great with the dress. Thoughts?

Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's comments decrying child labor laws caused discomfort among executives in the apparel industry, which doesn't want people to associate its products with children working in sweatshops. “We as an industry are sensitive to child labor and other industries are as well," says Kevin Burke, president and chief executive officer of the American Apparel & Footwear Assn. "We try to set an example in the U.S. for partners around the world to follow their own laws. When you have a candidate for president advocating relaxation in those laws, it calls into question the commitment." [WWD] (Subscription required.)

Stella McCartney's second fragrance, which will go on sale in 2012, is named L.I.L.Y., after a pet name her father, Sir Paul, had for her late mother: "Linda, I love you." Sad and sweet. [Telegraph]

First there was an announcement that China Glaze would have a "Hunger Games" nail polish collaboration; then word went out that no, no the deal wasn't done, as I mentioned in previous columns. But on Monday, China Glaze issued a news release saying the deal with Lionsgate, the studio behind the film based on the bestselling book series, is final and the lacquers will be available in March.

Socialite/model/drummer Alice Dellal (with the band Thrush Metal) is known for her edgy style and half-shaved head. Now rumor has it she may be the next "face" of Chanel. [WWD]

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--Susan Denley

Photos: From top, Sasha, left, and Malia Obama flank their parents at a holiday concert in Washington over the weekend. Credit: Yuri Gripas / Reuters

Model Brooklyn Decker at Spike TV's Video Game Awards. Credit: Mark Davis / Getty Images

--Susan Denley

Paris Fashion Week: The best of the rest from the men's runway

Since Paris Fashion Week served up more noteworthy menswear collections than we had time to discuss in depth, and the Haute Couture shows are now on the fashion world's center stage (soon to be followed by New York Fashion Week), here's  a notebook-clearing laundry list of the ones that got away:

Lanvin

The Lanvin collection telegraphed its duality with a soundtrack that abruptly cut between '70s-era country music and futuristic thumping techno beats. So too the runway was filled with both extremes: skinny-legged pants interspersed with generously cut trousers, technical outerwear pieces such as puffer jackets and bombers followed by double-breasted jackets, and other pieces that combined the best of both ends of the spectrum. But there was one constant -- many looks were topped off with the wide-brimmed hat that had become one of the "it" accessories of the men's fall and winter 2011 shows.

Yves Saint Laurent

"Take me back to England" were the first words we could make out from the soundtrack accompanying

Yo! Rappers take over fashion world

Used to be that actors wanted to direct and rappers wanted to act. Nowadays, everyone just wants to design. Kanye West recently offered his talents to fashion designers Raf Simons or Louis Vuitton as an intern. (Who ordered the triple soy latte?) He has also written about his yearnings as a designer. The jacket he is wearing here will soon be available, he says, along with his sneakers for Vuitton. He writes today on his blog:

"I swear to you guys all I do is work on design when I get off stage.  I want to and will be the real thing.  I will not just be a "celebrity designer."

I love West's '80s WilliWear vibe and his personal style and influences are inspired. And it sounds like he won't be slapping a label on any old garment to expand his brand. Meanwhile, WWD reports that Pharrell Williams has partnered with a sustainable textile company called Bionic Yarn. But can he knit me a tea cozy?
-- Monica Corcoran

Photo: Getty Images 

Milan: Optimism, pinups and Pop Art

Against a backdrop of financial uncertainty, there is a playful optimism to some of the runway shows for the spring season, in the form of cartoonish silhouettes, Pop Art colors and prints. It started with Michael Kors' 1950s, full-skirted gingham romp in New York and has now hit Milan at D&G and Moschino.

Los Angeles-based pop star Katy Perry is undoubtedly one inspiration for designers' modern day pinups, and there she was looking perky in the front row at D&G. The collection was an ode to sunny playgrounds such as Cap d'Antibes and Cannes, with striped knit bathing suits, sequin sweaters emblazoned with anchors and pleated shirts in a sailing knot print.

Models walked on red, white and blue platform sandals that laced up the leg, and sported floppy sun hats or knit bathing caps with over-sized round sunglasses. There were also boxy tweed jackets in the spirit of  Chanel, high-waist sailor pants, and sweaters in a metallic red, white and blue fisherman's knit that sparkled like fireworks. What a blast.

The fun continued Tuesday morning at Moschino, where British singer Roisin Murphy was the guest of honor, with a teased Rockabilly updo to rival Amy Winehouse's in the pop star hair of fame.

On the runway, models wore the same hairstyle, along with candy-colored silk swing coats and shifts with cartoon-size bows at the neck, and jeweled cat's eye sunglasses.

If it all sounds over-the-top, it wasn't. There were plenty of little black dresses and a lovely evening coat in chiffon whirled into flower buds. A beige satin coatdress with ruffled cap sleeves was nice, too. Exaggerated wedge platforms were cool, as was a handbag that spelled out what should be the season's tagline: "Ideal Dress = No Stress."

Elsewhere on the runway, I was looking forward to seeing what Raf Simons had up his sleeve at Jil Sander, since "simple," "architectural" and "classic" are becoming buzz words for the season. With a Man Ray portrait as a backdrop for the runway, he spun a tale of 1920s elegance and African tribalism-- tunics swinging fringe, shift dresses and coats slit under the arms for subtle plays on color and light, and spectacular jackets in intriguing swing shapes or with free-floating panels or cowl backs.

Shoe heels were inspired by Brancusi sculptures, and earrings -- part of a new jewelry line in collaboration with Italian jeweler Damiani -- resembled spears studded with diamonds.

But the models in the show were unsettling, to say the least. All white automatons with slick ponytails, they looked like an Aryan army. The show was inspired by Africa! Who does he think lives there? And in this era, when the luxury fashion business truly is global, there was no excuse.

-- Booth Moore

Photos top to bottom: Michael Kors' Spring/Summer 2009 collection from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York earlier this month, D&G, Moschino  and Jil Sander all in Milan this week. All photos by Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times.