Christian Dior’s gilded Parisian runways and expensive statement handbags are not typical FADER fodder on our style blog, but it was announced today that one of our fashion heroes Raf Simons is taking over the head designer gig from fallen star John Galliano, who was famously fired last year for making anti-semitic comments. Cathy Horyn is reporting in The New York Times that Simons is taking on the position and presenting his first collection in July for Haute Couture week. He's an unlikely choice for the position since his designs are anything but fanciful and frivolous—we've been major fans of Simons for being almost an anti-Dior, bringing cool-kid minimalism to both his menswear line and his womenswear over at Jil Sander. It's exciting to think that someone as subversive, intellectual, subtle and measured, someone who speaks to young fashion fans so seamlessly, will be taking the reins at arguably the highest profile fashion house in the world, and it's anyone's guess how he'll merge his vision with Dior's. Anyway he does it, we're expecting great things.