Raf Simons makes Christian Dior travel through history

By Astrid Wendlandt PARIS (Reuters) – As Paris Haute Couture week gathered pace on its second day, Raf Simons offered a walk through history at Christian Dior, with a mix of 18th century-inspired dresses with side hoops and embroidered masculine court coats. The designer said he was searching for a modern interpretation of fashion codes from centuries past for his fifth haute couture collection since he was appointed Dior’s chief designer in 2012 to replace John Galliano. “Raf asked himself how 18th century fashion could be re-interpreted with today’s codes,” Dior Chief Executive Sidney Toledano told Reuters after the show. “He looked at it not from the point of view of today, not one of a museum.” Other striking dresses included 1920s-inspired embroidered or printed cocktail dresses and long woollen coats with slightly bouffant wrists.