Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 09 Paris

[Peregrina_RZ]

oh, come on!

this collection was better than any thing he did in 2008, this is fantastic, now he needs to go up and up each collection, like he did when he started, we all know 2008 hasn't been his best year, but it doesn't mean he's not talented anymore or whatever...

We have to respect his position, he's an amazing designer and if he does what he does is because he can!

 

[gomtik]

The collection is not mind-blowing (like SS07, that was wow!!) but still some gorgeous pieces! I really loved the white dresses and those with the blue/white pottery details. Looking forward to detail shots!

 

[elle_gb]

Speechless!!!!! so beautiful it keep getting better.

 

[diorrnottwarr]

Personally, I think the clothes are stunning. The construction is pristine, the fabrics are decadent, and the craftsmanship displayed is certainly commendable. What I do take issue in, however, is the lack of originality and freshness that has made Dior so unique and a personal favorite of mine. This season, it seems as though John has drawn inspiration from a plethora of other collections (from Chanel Couture F/W 08 to his own designs from past seasons) and didn't really try to mask it. Though the flawless construction is still there, John's flair is, for the most part, missing, and that's what I find most upsetting.

 

[chrisss]

I like it and I don't... I love the prints (the porcelain / fine china type prints) and the gowns on Natasha and Irina. It could all have been done better though, some of the gowns were a little fussy.

Maybe I just had elevated expectations. By all accounts this is a good collection, but I just expected more from John...

Edited: ^ Agree on John's flair missing from this collection.

 

[reese06]

It all just looks too heavy(handed).

 

[fouroclock]

It's strange for him to include the column-like red dress but it's as if he's showing us that reality from the artifice. He knows whta the people want to see and what people actually want to wear na dhe's starting to compromise to those two levels.

 

[helmut.newton]

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.

I agree 100% with what you're saying! And it was bold of you to make these criticisms considering your name!!

Nonetheless I feel that Haute Couture can't be too progressive. It has to maintain some degree of classicism otherwise it becomes 'old' within 1-2 years. And obviously for those prices, one would expect a piece they could wear time and time again without looking like a walking retrospective!

Also the gowns at the end were utterly disappointing. They [Dior] are trying very hard to try and 'wow' people. But in the end those gowns look messy and forced.

 

[HSantorini]

After seeing the full collection, I don't like it as much as before.. There are way too many similarities with the past seasons, aren't John tired of it at all?? But I have to admit that some of the individual dresses are really gorgeous, like those on Heidi, Magda, Tatyana..and my favourite Chinese vase detailed one on Alexandra!!

 

[kiddokiddo]

He's failed to impress me for a while and this is exception. Tired

 

[Dkammern]

the collection is a lot better than it's been. but as it's also been said, galliano used to be the master of taking a thousand different ideas, all of them apparently unconnected, and putting them together in a collection, and making it look genius, new,fresh and modern.
it seems that in recent years he is doing too much of a single thing at a time...
the madame butterfly collection, the klimt collection... and this extends to his ready to wear at dior, which also tends to look monotonous from season to season.
this year was the time for vermeer and co. ...
we couldnt even say that he introduced the china... after all,the patterns used have no "chinese" reference whatsoever... it's all Delft porcelain (city where vermeer himself was born)

 

[TraiT]

I'm quoting myself here, but:
I truely thinks that a designer wouldn't have to come up with collections that are dynamically different from one another every single season just to show how talented they are, even in the context of being a couture collection. Even if obligated, Galliano is way pass the phase.
This collection still managed to look gorgeous and breath-taking, and if that Galliano's ultimate objective, I see no reason not to respect.

No hate, *peace*

 

[cottonmouth13]

just saw the complete set of photos of the collection and i strongly say, this is a GREAT one! it's very well done again by the master himself, john galliano. though i expected more like seeing bejeweled/over-embellished dresses/gowns, still, he was able to deliver a great collection. i especially love the gowns on tanya, bruna, alexandra (tretter), yana, lindsay, natasha and the dresses on lily, vlada, jourdan, serafima, michelle westgeest, alexandra (tomlinson), anna, and the dress on sasha! those are the pieces that i love the most. i think this is much better than last season's one. (well, not that much). i just couldn't believe the fact that the other models i love were not here (coco, stam, werbowy, & ward). even snejana wasn't here.

all in all, i love this collection! top 2 on my CD's top HC collection (with F/W 07 being the 1st).

 

[Dkammern]

^^ i know we are not supposed to discuss models here, but i find it relevant that 2 big names like coco and stam (who have done campaigns for the brand) werent here... (i think by now we are pretty used not to see daria and gemma as they are rarely on the catwalk anymore).
going beyond the fact of their absence which doesnt bother me, do you think it might be some sort of desition from "above" the company? i dont mean a matter of budget, it just can't be, but... if they want them both for their campaigns as the faces of the company's rtw, would the strategy change when it comes to couture?

 

[cottonmouth13]

^oh, sorry for discussing a bit about the models that i like who were not present in this season's couture show of dior. my bad. actually, even if just coco would have only been hired, i would still appreciate it. 'cause she walked the last 2 seasons couture show right?

can't get over with this collection! haha! i'm currently viewing it again on style.com

 

[SxyFashionQueen]

My thoughts exactly.
Though I hate to say this, but Roberto Cavalli already used the vase idea in his fall 05 RTW.
Both looked gorgeous i have to say...

it very much!

Same little "déjà vu" happened to me when I first saw the dresses.

Roberto Cavalli's inspiration were Ming vases.

And the dresses from his collection were worn by Victoria Beckham, Kelly Rowland and Brittany Murphy.

I wonder who will be the first lady in wearing some of the "china porcelain" dresses from this Christian Dior collection.

Charlize Theron?

Photos vía: Artles, Blueberrycheesecake, Kellyrowlandweb, Mymostwanted, Fashionising

 

[cottonmouth13]

i think charlize would look even better wearing the ball gown worn by bruna in the show.

 

[larien]

I just looked at the whole collection at style. com and it is totally amazing and dreamy

 

[Street_a_Licious]

i didn't like it when the Dior shows had too much makeup. for me personally, it took away too much from the clothes.

 

[mackos]

I agree about the shoes and make-up, it's been just the same, same stuff from seasons. And I guess this collection will be transformed into Fall/Winter 2009 RTW? I'm quite interested how it will turn out.