Raf Simons's 50 Best Dior Runway Looks and Red-Carpet Gowns

Raf Simons was confirmed today as the new chief creative officer at Calvin Klein, effective immediately. The move wasn’t exactly a huge surprise—industry folks have been waiting with bated breath for the announcement for months—but it is still big news for a very big brand.

The role will give the designer unprecedented control over Calvin Klein and its stable of brands, extending to ad campaigns, retail design, diffusion lines, and all aspects of visual branding. (Which, yes, means those Justin Bieber underwear ads are now firmly under his purview, though what he’ll do with them remains to be seen.)

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Simons announced his resignation from the top post at Dior back in October and has reportedly been waiting out a noncompete clause in the interim. During his tenure at the Parisian house, his collections were celebrated by critics, beloved by celebrities, and regularly copied by such retailers as  Zara and Mango.

As a designer, he revels in volume and color (remember that sunshine-yellow dress Julianne Moore wore to the Emmys in 2012? Or the pale-pink cape Rihanna wore to the Dior show last October? If not, don’t worry—they’re both included in the gallery ahead) but has plenty of minimalist cred, having cut his teeth at Jil Sander and the eponymous men’s line he launched in the ’90s.

He’s also in touch with youth culture—something that Calvin Klein excelled at in its early years, and has recently started to tap into again with its street-cast campaigns and parties attended—and Instagrammed—by everyone who’s anyone. Simons, likewise, has collaborated with Adidas, won disciples such as Kanye West and Virgil Abloh, and designed some of the most intensely coveted pieces in the streetwear resale world.

While we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for Simons to debut his first collection for the brand in February 2017 during New York Fashion Week, we’re taking a look back at the jaw-dropping red carpet moments and runway looks that marked his three years at Dior. Ahead, take a trip back to 2012, and maybe—just maybe—get a taste of what’s to come in seasons ahead.

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