After John Galliano, who's next at Christian Dior?

John Galliano's dismissal by Christian Dior leaves one of the most prestigious roles in fashion suddenly vacant. The man making the decision about his replacement is Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of LVMH, which owns Dior. The frontrunner is thought to be the 36-year-old Italian designer Riccardo Tisci, who has won increasing acclaim over the past five years designing Givenchy, another LVMH brand. Tisci is well connected in the Paris fashion world, with close ties to French Vogue. Were Tisci to land the role, it would be a case of history repeating itself: Galliano was at Givenchy before getting the Dior job. Arnault is likely to be looking as much for a safe pair of hands to put his most valuable brand back on track as for a design genius. This time around, tortured artists need not apply. For this reason, it seems logical that he would look first within the LVMH stable, which also includes Celine, designed by Phoebe Philo, and Louis Vuitton, designed by Marc Jacobs. If Arnault looks beyond LVMH, the Israeli-born designer Alber Elbaz, of Lanvin, might be in the frame. Previously at YSL, Elbaz designs feminine clothes with a timeless, couture sensibility, which could make a happy union with the Dior heritage. His mild-mannered and self-effacing personality might also appeal to Arnault after this week's events.