Raf Simons To Dior: Designer Finally Named To Replace John Galliano (BREAKING)

Raf Simons is headed to Dior!

Months after John Galliano vacated his position as creative director at Dior, the fashion house has finally picked a replacement.

Simons, former director at Jil Sander, will step in immediately as Dior's artistic director, Cathy Horyn at the New York Times reports. Simons' first collection will debut at the fall couture shows in July.

It's been a long and arduous road to Simons' eventual appointment. John Galliano was fired from his post at Dior in March 2011 after being arrested and eventually fined for making anti-Semitic remarks in a Paris bar.

Simons' name first entered the rumor ring as a potential replacement for Galliano back in December, when Women's Wear Daily reported he was in talks with Dior executives. Then, Simons stepped down from his position at Jil Sander in February, which set off new speculation that he was moving to Dior. Jil Sander returned to her eponymous label as creative director.

Horyn had predicted Sanders would get the gig back in August of 2011, and for much of the previous six months, heated rumors have flown about whom Dior would choose to helm their brand. Previously, insiders had speculated Marc Jacobs would fill the position, although Jacobs eventually went on record saying he would not be taking the job.

A big congrats to Simons, and we also have to grant him a sincere thanks for ending months of endless speculation over who would be filling Galliano's shoes.