As Raf Simons announces shock departure from Dior, we round up the designers likely to take over

The news comes after just three and half years as Creative Director of Women collections

Belgian designer Raf Simons is to leave Dior after just three and a half years in charge.

The designer, who played the central role in the film Dior and I - a documentary which went behind the door of the French fashion house’s atelier - has decided not to renew his contract following months of talks.

The announcement comes just weeks after Simons unveiled his latest ready to wear collection in Paris and is a shock to the fashion industry which has come to rely on its rumour mill in predicting such significant events.

Sidney Toledano, the chief executive officer of the Paris fashion house, made the announcement in a statement following a period of talks in which he and his board tried to convince the 47-year-old to remain with the business.

Dior at Paris Fashion Week

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Simons, who has been credited with breathing new life into the house of Dior during his tenure, has proved a lucrative appointment for the house which recruited him to replace the troubled John Galliano following his public downfall - so much so, in fact, that during a recent interview with a French newspaper Toledano reported a hike in sales of 60% since 2011.

While no reason has been given for Simons’ departure, reports suggest that his desire to be creative without the pressure of designing six collections a year is among the reasons behind his decision to stand down.

Leading international designers are now in the running for one of the most sought-after jobs in fashion, with Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci and Céline’s British designer Phoebe Philo among the frontrunners

Philo, 42, who has turned around the fortunes of Céline over the past seven years, is well respected. The designer, who splits her time between London and Paris, would be expected to relocate to the French capital.

Former Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs, 52, has also been tipped for the job. He was offered the role in 2011 following the sacking of Galliano but declined.

Others in the running include US design duo Proenza Schouler and Northern Irish, Dalston-based designer Jonathan Anderson who is winning fans for his work at LVMH-owned Loewe.

Whoever succeeds has big shoes to fill as, despite his short tenure, the legacy Simons leaves is impressive. A modernist with a supreme understanding of romanticism, his Dior was one which saw haute couture reimagined for the 21st century consumer.

The Belgian, who has attracted a host of fresh celebrity endorsements to the house including its ambassador Jennifer Lawrence, is also revered for his ability to respect the iconicity of the house whilst allowing it to speak to a new customer.

His highlights, which remain fresh in the mind of fashion fans who watch his every move with interest, include the spring/summer 2013 collection which saw Dior’s iconic bar jacket reimagined with ripped silk organza flowers and of course, his haute couture debut which was presented in front of over a million fresh flowers.

While no date has been given for Simon’s departure, he is expected to return from Paris to Antwerp to continue work on his successful menswear label.

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