Galliano's work for Dior Couture is generally amazing for me. Even though a good number of times he comes up with some of the craziest and most unwearable outfits, the details are intricate and impeccably done. He's done some of the most complicated designs ever and I think regardless of how insane they may look, the fact is that they were crafted painstakingly. That's one thing to love about his works. I also love the various sources of inspiration that he taps on - he consistently refreshes his couture aesthetics and I think that's something that, he, as a designer, is doing really well.
Contrarily, Karl's greatest asset as a designer of couture is his ability to maintain a consistent aesthetic for every couture collection and yet be able to update his looks at the same time. I'd say one of his most beautiful couture collections would be S/S 2006 - the return to Chanel's heritage was done amazingly and it definitely felt like a timeless collection, like one that had walked out of that glorious period of time when Coco Chanel was at one of the heights of her career - except that Karl Lagerfeld had given this revival of classic Chanel a little zing - a touch of the modern - the ability to update looks. With this ability, Karl never fails to roll out collections that look stylish and chic, something that the modern woman would want to wear. Still, the pieces remain Chanel to the core. That is the magic of Karl for Chanel.
I love Christian Lacroix because he isn't afraid to use exuberant colours and weave his colourful and vibrant heritage into his works. His HC F/W 2006 collection was amazing, but not as stunning or breathtaking as HC S/S 2006 (which I believe was one of the best and most amazing haute couture seasons), in which every single piece was a tribute to his heritage, a crafted blend of the culture he hails from and the time he spent in theatre. His La Mariée dresses never fail to take the breath away (especially S/S 2006 - the flowers on the dress, the veil and the gold floral hairpiece were a beautiful touch, the fabrics were used to an out-of-this-world ethereal effect - indescribably but undeniably beautiful).
