Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 09 Paris

[user.n.]

Either way - this was underwhelming. I haven't truly been wowed by a Dior Couture since Spring 2007!! After that collection, it all went downhill....

That was the time when John lost his right-hand, Steven Robinson. This was the turning point in his career... After that he made superwonderful dresses but something always missing...

 

[Leeroi]

That was the time when John lost his right-hand, Steven Robinson. This was the turning point in his career... After that he made superwonderful dresses but something always missing...

I thought Robinson died right before the anniversary show? And that collection was as kitschy as you can get. Nothing was really wearable except for some of the short dresses and Gisele's suit.

But that Japanese collection at 2007 was amazing. Too bad he's into the whole renaissance and old timy European culture thing now.

 

[j´adore dior]

There are indeed great pieces in this collection, Tanya´s dress is my favourite and that whole white ball gown section in general was quite pretty but the problem with this show so far is that, waiting for a Dior show is like reaching for fashion climax and this in general feels a little like a lost fashion orgasm, the problem here is that Dior HC is getting a little predictable, any Dior fan could have easily guessed the silhouette before even watching the show, funny but if we compare, Karl Lagerfeld has been reinventing the tweed at Chanel for more than 25 years and he still manages to make it exiting, but the new look silhouette is indeed getting kind of exhausting, one could apreciate his efforts for trying to recreate it over and over but who could forget the "H" line from summer 2004, that very "adolescent" silhouette and in general when he dared to do something completely new.
My hopes will for ever live on.

 

[junegloom]

Galliano couldn't disappoint me with a couture collection if he tried. I love the shapes and patterns. The makeup is wonderful too, it completes the theme.

 

[Josephjang]

I really like this collection. I was worried that Mr.Galliano might do something even more commercial than the last collection what with the current economic climate. I always like seeing artistic reference in fashion and I think Mr.Galliano did wonderful job with this collection. But I guess I'm still waiting for the year 2007 to come back to Dior.
Both spring and fall couture collections were out of this world and almost divine!

Still I can't wait to see the HQ pictures and video!

 

[cygnenoir]

Also...I want the Bar Suit burned. I used to love it, but now that John has beaten it to death, I just can't handle another Dior collection made up entirely of 'interpretations' of the New Look. John...instead of shoving the New Look down our throats every season, how about you give us an actual NEW LOOK.

Ba ha ha ha ha! I know, I screamed when I saw that.

John darling, everyone knows that you are designing for the very same couture house as *that* Christian Dior. We get it, we really do. Please put it away now.

 

[dior_couture1245]

I'm kind of over the Lisa Fonssagrives makeup.

"Diva Makeup," I call it. A 'strong' arched brow, colorful eye shadow, blah, blah, blah...so glamorous...

That's another reason these collections have been SO disappointing...the make up. Pat McGrath is a genius...so why is her talent wasted on this stupid Diva makeup (or Lisa Fonssagrives makeup, like you call it shirleebee) every season.

God...what went wrong?!?!?! How can we have gone from this -

to this? (and, no...you are not seeing images from the same collection)

(style/ style.it)

 

[user.n.]

I thought Robinson died right before the anniversary show? And that collection was as kitschy as you can get. Nothing was really wearable except for some of the short dresses and Gisele's suit.

But that Japanese collection at 2007 was amazing. Too bad he's into the whole renaissance and old timy European culture thing now.

Robinson died in April 2007. The spring couture show based on the Japanese culture, presented in January 2007, isn't it? So, John made it with Steven.
The anniversary show was fall 2007. That was the first collection after Steven's death.
So, helmut.newton was right, since spring 2007, something changed.

 

[dior_couture1245]

My problem with the Stephen Robinson argument is...how do you explain collections like Galliano FW 07 and Galliano SS 08 (and FW 08 to a lesser extent)? Those were incredible, energetic, old-school Galliano collections/ shows, all of which designed and produced without the influence of Robinson.

That is certainly no discredit to Stephen's work, mind you.

 

[Crimson C.C]

Tanya's dress is so seductive and elf like *spin*

 

[eternitygoddess]

With every Dior couture show, there's always 50% who love it and 50% who dislike it. 50% rave reviews, 50% complaints.

Talk about being able to polarize.

 

[Master Wood]

Interesting the Robinson argument has reared its head again. I too thought this but if you look at the facts, I personally believe in terms of couture Galliano lost it right after Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2004, the austrian empire collection. When he staged that very subdued collection based on edie sedgewick and subsequently a very different complimenting ready-to-wear show the magic just went. Yes there have been good points since then mainly the autumn/winter 2006 and spring/summer 2007 Couture collections and some exciting things for his name sake line. But I remember for about 5 seasons being in love with every single garment, from every single look, from every single collection for both Dior and Galliano. It would be more likely it was the death of his father during the spring/summer 2004 season that changed anything if there was a reason at all.

 

[*ana*]

It's unfortunate because I like the idea behind it. So much could have been done with Dutch masters as a source of inspiration. Alessandra Facchinetti used the same images to inspire her beautiful collection for Valentino Haute Couture FW 08, and the result was far more modern that any of these ridiculous dresses. I also liked that John was playing with prints, but again, everything was done so heavy handedly. He reused a print for one of the these gowns from Haute Couture SS 05 - and they were used so beautifully and effortlessly then.

Also, I love the idea of turning the gowns inside out, but what he was trying to showcase - the seams, the lining, the boning, etc - was all lost because of the downright silly proportions of the outfits. John has shown the inner workings of a couture gown before, and the result was so magnificent...anyone remember these?

ohhh yes i remember those
they were truly amazing, i haven't seen such beautiful ones in dior for a while now and it's really sad because we know john can do much better...
there are some very beautiful pieces in this collection, and also beautiful prints, but i hate the final gowns, and i'm SO tired of those belts, they can ruin a dress (though this time it isn't the belts' fault)... i also agree with you about the makeup, it's such a waste of talent... why not tone down the gigantesque gowns and use a bit of creativity in the makeup?
i think one of the best memories i'll have of this collection is the man himself in the finale. i can't wait for givenchy and gaultier now...

 

[christina126]

I adore the white gowns. Otherwise, its the same old.

 

[Alejandro]

this is gross. wannabe westwood on busted azz ********

 

[prettypouf]

Once again, I hate the color palette. John...FOCUS. I mean, baby blue, salmon, blood red, goldenrod, Delft blue...it's all too much.

Also...I want the Bar Suit burned. I used to love it, but now that John has beaten it to death, I just can't handle another Dior collection made up entirely of 'interpretations' of the New Look. John...instead of shoving the New Look down our throats every season, how about you give us an actual NEW LOOK.

Oh and don't get me started on the shoes. It's becoming so formulaic...do something outrageous on the heel and add lots of straps. None of the shoes have anything to do with the collection...they're just there for shock value...except they're not shocking anymore.

You are always quite spot-on with what you say about Dior. I have read what you've posted on the last few collections and I follow your opinion very highly-- I can't agree more on what you said and it breaks my heart to see someone who adored Dior so much to now dislike it too. I wish I had more hope for what he has been doing but I can't seem to find it. I'm hoping for us both that he turns around and realizes what he is doing wrong and can change it-- I just don't have any zest for his collections anymore and I dearly hope it changes just so that I can read your amazing, positive messages again.
Let's all say a little prayer for John.

 

[~lainey~]

in itself, i think this collection is beautiful...i love the dramatism and you can always count on galliano couture to deliver it...perhaps there is nothing refreshing but it's still visually stunning and a detailed masterpiece

 

[Leeroi]

My problem with the Stephen Robinson argument is...how do you explain collections like Galliano FW 07 and Galliano SS 08 (and FW 08 to a lesser extent)? Those were incredible, energetic, old-school Galliano collections/ shows, all of which designed and produced without the influence of Robinson.

That is certainly no discredit to Stephen's work, mind you.

Well, Dior is certainly different from John Galliano (the line).

When Dior was outstanding, from 2000-2005, his own line under his name, I found to be not as outstanding. After that though, the greatness kinda switched over and he started to show Dior collections that began to look more uhhh.... structured? Not really sure if that's the word I was looking for.

I just wished that time would come back around mid to late 90's when both Dior and his line were amazing.

God I hope Chanel proves that this season isn't going to be a downer.

 

[Leeroi]

With every Dior couture show, there's always 50% who love it and 50% who dislike it. 50% rave reviews, 50% complaints.

Talk about being able to polarize.

That's why Dior collections always have the most replies because there's so many people who are completely infatuated with Galliano's designs no matter how ridiculous they are and there's other people who wished time would come back. And there's the people in the middle who are the ones who actually say stuff about the collection itself, and there's not that many of those people.

 

[SGaspar]

I think he recycled his mock-ups from past seasons, added a little embroidery, some prints and that was it xD. There are some beautiful pieces, but i've seen it all before. Love the colour palette though, and some prints or paintings. Galliano's work, for me, is always going to be beautiful, but he has been hugely dissappointing this last seasons and in haute couture as in pret-a-porter. How sad because I think he's a genius. I guess the anniversary collection dried his brain out.