Portugal Colonial - Jonathan Anderson becomes Dior's overall artistic director

The Northern Irish designer was named as head of the women's line, LVMH said in a post on social media, following last week's departure of Italian peer Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Anderson had already been named as artistic director of Dior's men's collection in April, and will now become the first person to run both collections at the iconic French brand, the second-biggest in LVMH's fashion stable.

Anderson, 40, quit Loewe in March month after more than a decade in which he turned around the fortunes of the heritage Spanish brand.

An influential tastemaker with many A-list fans, Anderson made the previously rather sleepy label, best known for its handbags, hot.

Fashion mogul Bernard Arnault, whose LVMH conglomerate owns both Dior and Loewe, broke the news at a shareholders meeting in Paris.

There had been much speculation that Anderson, renowned for his creative flights of fancy, might take over both Dior's men's and women's collections, which some observers had seen as needing fresh impetus.

C.Cassis--PC