Raf Simons to Leave Christian Dior Couture

By Jason Chow And Christina Binkley 

PARIS-- Raf Simons is leaving his post as creative director at Christian Dior SA, a surprise exit after three-and-a-half-years at the helm of the French couture house.

Mr. Simons's collection presented in Paris on Oct. 2 was his last for the brand, the designer and company said Thursday.

"Christian Dior is an extraordinary company, and it has been an immense privilege to write a few pages of this magnificent book," Mr. Simons said.

Christian Dior is majority-owned and controlled by Christian Dior SE, the holding company that controls luxury conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, owning more than 42% of its shares.

LVMH Chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault pays special attention to the house, having hand-picked Mr. Simons in April 2012 after an exhaustive search that lasted more than a year.

The brand said that Mr. Arnault acknowledged Mr. Simons's decision and "warmly thanked" him for his contribution.

Write to Jason Chow at [e-mail] and Christina Binkley at [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 22, 2015 13:56 ET (17:56 GMT)

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