The sixth volume in a series of books honoring the contributions of Dior Artistic Directors through the years, this spring 2023 release evokes the possibility of embracing the future without abandoning the past. Seen through the eyes of photographer Laziz Hamani in “Portraits of Dresses,” Dior by Raf Simons celebrates the visionary mind of Belgian designer Raf Simons, Dior’s previous Artistic Director of the house’s women’s lines from 2012 to 2015.

In Simon’s words, “We must not forget the past, we must go beyond it.” This hopeful sentiment, aligned with the progressive vision of Christian Dior, is a common thread in Simons’ creations. Merging the modern with the historic, Simons approached his time at Dior with an ambition to pay tribute to the Maison’s legacy through common inspirations of nature and art, while ushering in a new era of fashion for the contemporary woman.

The creative visions of Raf Simons and Christian Dior, kindred spirits in their pursuit of deeply passionate design, became one in Simons’ Dior collections; for example, Simons’ very first Autumn-Winter 2012-2013 haute couture show featured a reimagined version of Dior’s beloved “New Look” silhouette, restructured as a sculptural pants suit.

An ode to an extraordinary chapter of maison’s history, the Dior by Raf Simons book explores the multifaceted, dynamic creations of Raf Simons, born from an optimistic view of the future and unending respect for heritage.