FASHION Magazine

He said he was leaving Milan forever, but he never said anything about Paris. Yes, the longest-running game of Guess Who? the fashion world has ever seen is finally over. And cue the welcome party, because we couldn’t be happier.

Cathy Horyn broke the news today that Raf Simons will be taking over (effective immediately) as artistic director at Dior. His first collection with the house will be for the haute couture shows in July—somewhat fitting considering the colour-loving minimalist took a decidedly haute hand to his recent Jil Sander “Couture Trilogy” (before getting the boot, that is).

The news comes after over a year of headhunting on Dior’s part. The house famously went after Marc Jacobs last year (the two parties couldn’t agree on salary) and reportedly later Lanvin honcho Alber Elbaz (he turned down the offer). Simons’ name started popping up in late December and the rumour mill began churning like nobody’s business.

The juiciest part in all this? Yves Saint Laurent creative director Hedi Slimane has been a longtime menswear rival of Simons’. And now the two get to face off in the womenswear arena. Does this mean Dior versus YSL walk-offs are in our future?

Whether he was their first choice or not, he was most definitely ours. We’re still having dreams about his last Jil Sander collection. Those reds! Those pinks! This really couldn’t have turned out better.

It’s no secret that Pierre Bergé, Yves Saint Laurent’s former partner and business advisor, adores Hedi Slimane. The mogul would famously exclude then-designer Stefano Pilati from YSL parties and invite Slimane in his place. Nevertheless, Bergé thinks Slimane’s got some big shoes to fill (on the scale of a Nobel Prize–winner, no less), telling T Magazine:

“It’s a great problem, very complicated, to recreate the work of a genius. Like trying to rewrite Faulkner. To put your stamp on the name of Yves Saint Laurent requires someone who has talent, conviction, rigor, a demanding nature and a great sense of colour.”

Karl Lagerfeld, king of taste-making (or just sharing his unwarranted opinions), has decried “pedestrian-chic” as the new cool in an upcoming shoot for French Elle.

The eight-page spread features the Kaiser tête-à-tête with his model crushes of the moment Saskia de Brauw and Caroline Brasch Neilsen (both clad in the designer’s new, more affordable line, KARL). The fashionable threesome are photographed doing all kinds of normal things: reading a sports paper, driving in traffic, shopping in the supermarket. Of course one can’t expect to push the Kaiser’s cart unless you’re runway gold.

And because he just can’t resist providing a ridiculous sound bite, Lagerfeld took to the accompanying interview to dish on his normal life (or total lack thereof):

On driving: “I haven’t driven since I was 18, and that’s a benefit to society because I ended up in a ditch, without knowing why!” Oh Uncle Karl, one would think your giant collars might prevent you from checking your blind spot!

On le supermarché: “It’s the first time I’ve stepped into a supermarket. It’s crazy—fascinating what one can buy. There’s enough here to easily gain 20 kilos.”

Frankly, we’re not too surprised given Karl’s feelings on food: it’s not allowed! This is the man who will only eat Nobu whilst in New York, who lost 60 pounds just to fit into super-skinny Slimane’s, and who famous declared that food was like plastic to him.

But, we have to ask—what’s next? Karl tying his shoes? Using the ATM? Taking the *gasps* subway? We can hardly wait!

Well, we thought this had already been settled, but now it’s written in stone: Hedi Slimane is officially taking over from Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent. Cue the applause from skinny pant–wearing ladies and gents everywhere! The designer, who worked at the house in the late ‘90s, has long seemed a natural fit for the brand—perhaps even more natural than Pilati, who’s held the position since 2004 but never quite reached the critical acclaim that both Yves Saint Laurent or Tom Ford did.

Just three days after the Raf for Jil swap, Yves Saint Laurent has announced that creative director Stefano Pilati will leave the company’s helm following the collection’s Fall show later this week in Paris.

Pilati’s ride at YSL has been a bit of a bumpy one with critically inconsistent collections. But despite a lack of support from YSL heavyweights (Yves Saint-Laurent himself once told WWD, “Some of what he does is good. Some of it is not so good.”), Pilati has rocketed the house towards considerable commercial success (though not quite at Gucci-era Tom Ford levels) with his conception of hit accessories like the Muse bag and Tribute shoe. More than a feat in these financial times, right?

Following the recent conviction of John Galliano, the buzz around Marc Jacobs replacing him at Dior intensifies. The latest rumour is that Jacobs and business partner Robert Duffy are in negotiations and asking for a salary package of $10 million.

If Jacobs cashes in on the deal, he’ll be one of the highest-paid designers in the world. The new position of creative director also means more work for Jacobs, adding Dior’s two couture shows on top of his existing workload.

Now that it’s looking more and more likely that Jacobs will say goodbye to Louis Vuitton, the people at Vuitton seem to be scrambling to find a replacement. Apparently they’ve approached many of fashion’s heavyweights including Alber Elbaz, the Proenza Schouler boys, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Sarah Burton, and Hedi Slimane. So far, Elbaz, Ghesquiere and Burton have declined.

Former Dior Homme designer, Hedi Slimane, confirms that he will be returning to fashion design. [Fashionologie]

By Corinne Perez-Abergel, Gillian Pryor and Renee Reardin

In two recent interviews, with Menswear and the Guardian, Hedi Slimane alludes to the idea of him designing again. Though he has been rumoured to take the helm at Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, he remains vague on the idea. Instead, he takes the opportunity to bash celebrity red carpets and what L.A has done to fashion. [Fashionista]

Stefano Pilati, Karl Lagerfeld, Christophe Decarnin, Hedi Slimane, Alber Elbaz and Raf Simons have all been caught up in the rumour mill–again. According to a number of unnamed sources, Pilati is set to be replaced at YSL with either Slimane, Simons or Decarnin. The Kaiser is rumoured to retire from Chanel in 2012 (on his 30th anniversary with the brand) and will be replaced with Elbaz of Lanvin. And if the gossip is true Theyskens will be replacing Elbaz at Lanvin. [The Cut]

Kelly Cutrone‘s wildly popular reality TV show Kell on Earth is finally coming to Canada. The show will premiere on CosmoTV on Monday October 11.  [CosmoTV]

It’s the last day of Fashion Week and we’re experiencing all the mental fatigue and junk food overload that that entails. So we’re glad for this video of Claymation figures rocking out in Dior Homme. Just the brain candy we needed. [Fashionista]

Fashion Journalism Superhunk and bear-poop enthusiast Hamish Bowles will be an extra in Oliver Stone’s Wall Street 2. [NY Post]