It looks like Paris fashion house has found the right person to take over Dior's artistic department after John Galliano departed the luxury brand last spring. On Monday, April 9^th the Paris fashion house announced that former Jil Sander designer, Raf Simons was chosen artistic director. John Galliano was fired from Dior last year after he made anti-Semitic remarks. Meanwhile, Mr. Simons's first collection is planned for July at the fall haute couture shows in Paris. He left Jil Sander in March, after what seemed to be Simon's greatest show: a triumph of chic simplicity and flattering dresses and coats in pale pinks, camel and subtle. Rumors says Jil Sander herself in heading back to the brand.

The choice of Mr. Simons culminates more than a year of discussions and apparent soul-searching by Dior and its boss, Bernard Arnault, who is chairman of LVMH, about the ideal person to give creative direction to the 66-year-old luxury brand. The company issued a statement that the new Dior designer "will propel its iconic style into the 21st century."

In an interview Monday, Mr. Simons expressed delight at the appointment. "The first time I heard about the Dior position," he said, "I thought, 'his feels right.' "

Marc Jacobs, the American star at Louis Vuitton, was a favorite until talks broke down late last summer, reportedly over compensation. Other big names, including Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, rejected Dior's advances. At the same time, Charlize Theron, Mila Kunis and Marion Cotillard are all Dior brand ambassadors, and will probably turn up for his couture debut.