Suzy Menkes on Dior HC
PARIS In a compelling mix of seduction and protection, John Galliano sent out his most extraordinary collection yet for Dior. In its imagination and in its execution, this dark tale of medieval love and war, set in a formal Florentine garden with flagstone runway and topiary bushes, was a piece of fashion theater you could not imagine the British designer ever topping.
Yet, as ever, it left mixed feelings of awe, at the couture craftsmanship and at Galliano's ability to enfold everything from a wimple, through a plastic jacket to a glass-heeled shoe into his oeuvre, and shock that this literally fabulous extravaganza was made of such unapproachable clothes.
There were - again, as ever - some dresses that whispered in the drape of their nude chiffon of sweet romance in a summer garden - for today, as well as in some mythical past. Take away the surreal headdresses of armor, bead Cleopatra fringes and lobster hat à la Schiaparelli, all showcasing the British milliner Stephen Jones at his most fecund, and you had less theater and marginally more reality. Occasionally, as in copper colors or a silver foil jacket with a black plastic skirt, there were echoes of the Mad Max collection Galliano showed at Versailles seven years ago.
"Lake Como, Florence, Rome, Venice, the Surrealism of Salvador Dali and his wife, Gala," said Galliano backstage, citing the French actress Arletty in a classic French movie as the kick off to his fantasy. For his runway bow he looked to the future - or at least the sci-fi futurism of white NASA overalls that made you long for a ride to some cooler outer space than the broiling show venue.
The Punk section was almost of the moment with its boxy fur, feather and leather coats and covetable draped jersey dresses. The big skirts were the most inventive, either in topiary greenery or unfolding like a pack of cards and not far from a madcap Alice–in- Wonderland vision of a medieval world.
The sheer force of Dior - in money and man power - to put this show together, in the vast, black tent in the Bois de Boulogne, the backdrop changing from a Mozartian afternoon to a celestial night with spinning zodiac symbols, shows the might of this luxury company. Right now, a team will be working on breaking down, figuratively, all these ideas, making the abstract piece of armor - that Galliano thought would be perfect as a bracelet for his friend Kate Moss - will be a jewelry collection. The tectonic plates of the armor will shift from bodice to bags. And the petite mains who must be bewildered at all this passion and work sunk into theatrical prototypes, should feel proud at what they have achieved.
Couture needs inspiration and Galliano has brought his fertile and febrile mind to Dior for nearly a decade. Yet when you think back to 1997 and another show in the Bois, in a rose garden, Galliano has lost some of the innocent sweetness that used to surround his collections. Bravo for a spectacular show! But the message seemed this season as hard as the nails that riveted the armor plating.
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but from what i have seen it is amazing and John Galliano has not lost his talents when it comes to Couture i think only Karl&Valentino can rival him.I did not like all the dresses but i liked the ovarall idea and set was amazing!Thanks to all that have posted the pictures!
!! Wow
Even the sky is changing! Do you notice it? It's bright in the beginning and goes to a scary red and then evening...
