Marc Jacobs going to Dior? Phoebe Philo going to Louis Vuitton? Hell freezing over?

The Saddle. Early aughts it bag. 

From Louis Vuitton to Dior. Not exactly a huge stretch for someone like Jacobs. Those are the rumours currently swirling around Paris anyway in what has been months of presumed hand-wringing from Dior execs
taking their sweet time finding a replacement after firing John Galliano for his boozy racial rant at Paris bar La Perle. I can only imagine their leisurely search for a new designer was cut short after their latest couture collection. It was designed by Galliano’s right hand man Bill Gaytten and Susanna Venegas and reviews, including mine were fairly harsh. Execs are probably realising now that taking as much time as needed is seriously hurting the brand. They would be right in thinking that the brand can survive without Galliano but no head designer for three collections? The cracks are starting to show and they need a big designer to patch them up. And Jacobs will do just that. Jacobs is quite an interchangeable designer. You could slot him into any of the top tier luxury brands and he’d do well. Gucci, Chanel, Armani, Saint Laurent. You might not want to imagine him designing for these brands (at YSL? Gasp!) but you know he could do it.

From a fashion perspective it's quite uninteresting to see Jacobs put in at Dior and would be exciting to see them take a risk like they did with Galliano back in the 90’s. From a business perspective, well, Dior haven't had a major It Bag since the Saddle so Jacobs could obviously turn that around with his experience at Louis Vuitton. My other criticism of Marc Jacobs being put in at Dior is that he has never done couture but then I thought, who cares? The execs don’t. They just want hot shoes and bags. Couture isn’t dead but it’s not a bread winner for most couture brands excluding Chanel who manage a neat cut from Lagerfeld’s designs. I think if they hire him most people will just shrug their shoulders and be all whatevs about it.

Dior by Marc Galliano. It's whatevs

So if Jacobs does split for Dior that leaves his post at Vuitton open and rumour has it that Céline head designer Phoebe Philo could go there. I think she’s doing great at Céline and should stay put. With only a few seasons under her belt at Céline, Philo probably doesn’t have a huge emotional attachment to the house but she has total creative control and is able to design and work from London to be with her family, rather than be based in Paris. Maybe the offer of more money may prove tempting if her other needs are met.

Phoebe Jacobs. Don't do it Phoebs (we're like really good friends)