Christian Dior Fall 2013 - Simons' Surreal Femininity

Calm. Classic. Innovative. After three seasons, Raf Simons seems to be getting comfortable handling the house of Christian Dior. For the average person, some still can’t accept the fact that Dior’s prestigious roots has returned for good; there are no more theatrical designs we were used to viewing. Get over it! Since Simons’ couture debut, I could already see the changes that were about to occur. Then, in his first Spring 2013 RTW collection, he stamped the official return of the legacy (Christian Dior) mixed with his own style. 

As you can quite tell, I am a really big fan of Simons. He is the only one who can make women look so romantic without inserting the sexual (even sensual) word. His talent exceeds one’s expectations. 

After a while, too much sexiness can be boring, but too much modernism can get boring as well. Mr. Simons found the perfect magical balance to achieve a breathtaking collection. I believe this was the reason why the setting was well designed with the vibrant atmosphere of the sky paired with the huge silver crystal balls that reflected one’s image. It was time to change routes – peacefully and slowly – without being too obvious (sort of).  The reflection described to me the new woman who will learn to fall in deep love with this collection. After all, a reflection is the most powerful weapon a woman could have; the collection was itself powerful.

The opening of a black coat – cape-like silhouette with an exaggerated neck tie – was striking beautiful. These designs also came in a deep red, to a light pink one as delicate as a woman. Iconic strapless dresses made an appearance – featuring hand-drawn artwork portraying dazzling shoes and women – with enough statement fit for a romantic dinner. 

Wide-leg trousers were a new introduction after last season’s tailored ones. Peplum blazers were a must – making the trousers much more feminine. 

Knitwear was one the biggest winners in this collections. The manner in which he took the cable-knit dresses, and added peplum details blew my mind. Crochet was superbly feminine. A pink crochet layered over a houndstooth dress was one of my favorites. Shoes, bags, and pearl rings - I had no words to describe them.

For evening, beaded and metallic mid-length dresses couldn’t be any more romantic. I became deeply in love with the final dress the model ported down the runway. I adored the simplicity and ladylike designs it offered with metallic strips of burgundy running from the side. All dresses were clearly meant to be worn for a red carpet event. Jennifer Lawrence and Marion Cotillard will have lots to think about for this upcoming fall collection; if they can wait. 

Raf Simons in conclusion, made this presentation one of the major and most innovative collections of the season. If you don’t appreciate this, then it may be time for you to take a visit to one of Dior’s boutique and view it live and present. Sometimes, a show like his is better worth experiencing it in life than behind a computer.