Simons Confidently Evolves his Vision for Christian Dior

PARIS, France — The fourth day of Paris Fashion Week saw Raf Simons unveil the latest chapter of his journey after nearly a year at the design helm of Christian Dior. Following his acclaimed debut last year, the pressure has been stacked on the Belgian designer to deliver again in what is only his second ready-to-wear show in one of the most influential jobs in fashion.

At Paris' Hotel des Invalides, fashion editors fought through swelling crowds to take a glimpse into the storied house's future. They saw Simons live up to their expectations. Other shows of the day expressed fall fashions through vivid color, like in the strong showings from Issey Miyake and Roland Mouret.

Raf Simons confidently evolved the angular portions of previous seasons' work into softer, more saleable silhouettes. The new bar jacket, looser and in trendy wool denim, seemed to point to a man who's finally settled in to his role.

This season was the supplest fusion so far of his minimalism and the house's ultra-femininity and curves.

Fall-winter saw a parade of "memory dresses," some 48 looks that delved into the iconic houndstooth, peplums, and the original '40s designs of Monsieur Dior himself. They hit the catwalk reimagined, sometimes asymmetrically, alongside enormous mirror ball decor.

Like thought bubbles, the silver spheres set the tone for the musing, which included an embroidered tulle bustier a-line dress — an archive piece called "Miss Dior 1949" — reworked in hip embroidered black leather. Elsewhere, blown-up houndstooth had a surreal quality, in vertical slices down column silhouettes. It was a great re-working of the classic pattern first used by the house in the late '50s.

Apart from one burst of vermillion, the muted palette of black, navy, white and pale pink was further proof of his evolution. After all, while at Jil Sander, it was Simons who started the bright color trend that's now spread across the world.

There was plenty of imagination with silhouettes delving into the fashions of the '50s and even '60s. And prints and embroideries of surreal eyes and tears that resembled ants, gave the show a surrealistic edge, reminiscent of Salvador Dali. However, the show could have done without the motifs by Andy Warhol, such as a sparking stiletto print, which sometimes jarred as overly adolescent, and a tad tacky.

Overall, the show was a success; one step further on in Dior's mission statement for the designer, to "propel its iconic style into the 21st century."

Thomas Adamson can be followed at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP