Christian Dior HC S/S 08 Paris

That is a strawman- "technology for technology's sake". This is not suggested as the only or the "right" direction to go. The direction to go that I mentioned is the world "today", i.e., the world I live in, not my grandmother's world. With this world comes a lot of truly fascinating ideas, concepts and innovations, and not just in technology, but also in art, society and culture. For example, even as "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is as "olde world" as you can get but imagine if it doesn't use any CGI but actors in rubber suits. In the film, you don't "see" technology, but technology made the Tolkien world vivid. McQueen is very "olde world" in his design, but at least he makes them in a way that is modern and relevant. I don't think Diana Vreeland, if she were alive today, would want fashion that is frozen in the 50s. She was daring and iconoclastic for her time, so were all the great designers, from Chanel to Balenciaga. They were pushing new ideas, experimenting with new forms that were radical during their reign, that's what made them great. The Chanel jacket was the ultimate streamlined chic during Mademoiselle's time, but to redo the Chanel jacket today over and over, like St John, makes it totally meaningless, uninteresting and does nothing to push fashion. Monet is great for his time, but imagine some cheesy artist still painting the same impressionistic water lilies today. That "artist" wouldn't make it to anywhere except maybe HomeShoppingNetwork, and no one is suggesting that he has to use technology or computers to do his art either. He can still painstakingly hand-make everything, but the meaning of his art has to be there. This feeling of watching Galliano do a parody of "Dior", more pailletes, bigger poufs, some Chinoiserie/Japonaise, throw some "blood" on for "revolutionary" edginess, lots of embroidery, *always* Pigalle and Toulouse Lautrec, maybe Marie Antoinette or Bois de Boulogne (ooh, the scandal!) next time, transvestite makeup, the peplum jacket, that hands on the waist "stomachache" pose, all the cliched "Frenchiness" but it's still the same stuff over and over. The French I know don't even think of Dior as French fashion anymore, just tacky expensive merchandise targeted at American, Russian and Asian tourists. And sadly, no fashion journalist out there would even do anything other than applaud this shabby state of affairs, "friendship" and lavish gifts aside, they can't bite the hand that pays for the ads.

Perhaps it's more appropriate to say that it's the quest for the new - for the sake of being new - that destroys art for me. Frankly, there seems to be a lot of sub par stuff around that people love because it's new and no other reason. If someone did introduce some new element and made stunning Monet-inspired paintings/decor, I can't say that I would be automatically adverse to it because some important aspects of it had been done before. Doing the exact same thing again is one thing, lending plenty of inspiration is another.

Also, usually, people don't like reiterations of a concept that doesn't appeal to them much in the first place but are rather permissive of rehashes of art/designs that does appeal to them...
 
The shoes are amazing! :heart: I love the details and embroidery. The make-up is very unique and quirky but I like it!
 
ohhhh yes yes yes! Monsieur Galliano sure does have the gorgeously dramatic gene in him! He tickles imagination and fancy and they bloom together beautifully. As usual, the colours chosen for the fabrics are vibrant but not so much that they're an eyesore, and the detail that was put into the additional eye pieces, headresses, bags, hair... everything! shows how meticulously executed everything was :smile: Bravo Monsieur Galliano!
 
i just did a post on my blog tracing some of the dresses in this collection to specific klimt paintings

also why he and a number of other designers were inspired by klimt this season
 
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short little paragraph on what Jamie Huckbody had to say about the collection!
From Harper's Bazaar Australia May 2008 :smile:
Scanned by me
edit: :doh: ok its way too small to read the print at the bottom...

print: 'If the luxury at other couture houses is in the drop-dead gorgeousness of a red-carpet dress, at Dior its the creative freedom afforded John Galliano. Cue a slightly futuristic take on the symbolist art movement with exaggerated volumes (cocoon, A-line and souffle-like poufs), exaggerated colours (lime, aqua, fuchsia) and exaggerated headgear (metallic bowl, flowerpot and flying-saucer shapes) that created the perfect wardrobe for a modern-day Endora, the magically camp mother of Bewitched. '
 
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please do not quote images, thank you

short little paragraph on what Jamie Huckbody had to say about the collection!
From Harper's Bazaar Australia May 2008 :smile:
Scanned by me
edit: :doh: ok its way too small to read the print at the bottom...

print: 'If the luxury at other couture houses is in the drop-dead gorgeousness of a red-carpet dress, at Dior its the creative freedom afforded John Galliano. Cue a slightly futuristic take on the symbolist art movement with exaggerated volumes (cocoon, A-line and souffle-like poufs), exaggerated colours (lime, aqua, fuchsia) and exaggerated headgear (metallic bowl, flowerpot and flying-saucer shapes) that created the perfect wardrobe for a modern-day Endora, the magically camp mother of Bewitched. '

:smile: Thank you for the article, I like what was said. :smile: I don't think the collection was a great futuristic focus and I'm not too fond of it, but they had a good way of putting my own thoughts into words.
However, souffle-like poufs? Rather strange wording. :P
 
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Christian Dior Haute Couture Dress and Shawl, 2008

In 2008, Renée Fleming was the first woman to open the season of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. For the occasion, she wore four haute couture creations, including this dress by John Galliano for Christian Dior for her role as The Countess in Strauss’s Capriccio. Annie Lebovitz photographed Fleming in all four dresses for a 2008 Vogue article called ‘La Dolce Vita’ by Hamish Bowles. In the article, Galliano is quoted as saying that Fleming’s voice, with its ‘whole timbre of colors, emotions, and tones, made me want to create something bold, vivacious, sensual, and capricious.’ Property from the Collection of Renée Fleming, New York, New York, to benefit the Renée Fleming Foundation.

John Galliano for Christian Dior black silk crepe dress with a draped design secured on the left hip with a richly embroidered panel of glass beads, gold foil and thread. Similar glass beads in a goldtone setting form thin shoulder straps. The dress is hand-sewn to a heavily boned black corset that laces up the right side seam. A long rectangular stole features an Art Deco/Egyptian-themed design using a similar embroidery to the dress.
Label: Christian Dior / Haute Couture / Paris

Condition:
Overall very good condition. Dress has a few small spots on the left hip and the back hem. The lining of the back hem/train has many spots that appear to be make-up. The left hip embroidery is missing approximately 12 glass beads from one section only. The shawl is in very good condition with some wear marks around the shoulder area from wrapping the shawl around the body. The embroidery on the shawl is in excellent condition with only a few minor areas of damage.

Approximate Flat Measurements Across the Front:
DRESS
Bust: 17"
Waist: 14"
Hips: 19"
Length (from underarm:( 56"

SHAWL
Length: 132"
Width: 27"
Length of embroidery on each side of shawl: 39"

The stated overall condition of the lot is based on the assumption that the wear is consistent with age and use. As everything is sold 'as is', we suggest that you request a more detailed condition report and additional photo. This can be obtained via the INQUIRE button or by email at [email protected]. Condition is a matter of opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact.
  • Estimate$3,000 - $4,000
Sold for $10,625

Leibovitz from Vogue October 2008

Same dress but with a coat. There is a sketch of it in this same issue and it is like Nadja's or one with fur collar from Opera Garnier show
hindmanauctions.com
vogue.com
 
Interesting modified version much less 1960s more contemporary, the gathering near the hip is classic Galliano.
 

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