Who Saw Raf Simons’ First Show For Dior This Morning?

Those of you staring at a screen (instead of, say, the inside of your eyelids) at 8:30 a.m. today should have received a jolt just a bit more powerful than your usual iced coffee — this morning, Dior ran a livestream of its fall '12 couture show, the first Dior collection designed by Raf Simons.

In a space that was covered in floor-to-ceiling flowers, the five-room salon played host to such notorious guests as Marc Jacobs, Stefano Tonchi, and Marion Cotillard, the show itself felt restrained compared to the over-the-top haute couture collections Galliano favored.

In his signature pastel/acid-bright, ladylike/masculine, soft/structured mix, Raf showed plenty of Dior stapes (full skirts, lovely beading, and rich florals), but boiled down and brought up to speed — if the haute couture shows represent the best of what a fashion house has to offer, Raf Simons is definitely presenting an impressive and mature vision for the brand. And just in case you missed it, the full video of the show will be posted shortly on Dior.com. (Grazia)