John Galliano:
The Show Man
It was like you stepped into the Garden of Eden – the Garden of Eden on overdrive, to say the least. For Christian Dior’s autumn/winter 2010 couture collection, John Galliano turned to nature for inspiration.
The ode to all things floral was reminiscent of Christian Dior’s debut collection in 1947. Entitled Ligne Corolle, silhouettes took the form of inverted petal shapes. Galliano did the same, albeit on a much more literal and fantastical level. The models, looking every inch like a flower in headgear resembling a florist’s wrap, sashayed in front of a larger-than-life bouquet.
Galliano’s designs were an absolute spectacle, so inherently floral in every detail and form. The ruffles, the drapes, the silhouettes – all techniques were carefully executed so as to mimic the intricacies of one of nature’s most beautiful creations. As if the forms weren’t enough of an ode, even the embellishments on the pieces were floral. Part of Galliano’s research included studying flowers under different circumstances and backgrounds so as to capture their blossom and bloom.
There were midi-length dresses in floral prints, orange taffeta flowers peeking out of pink chiffon, hand-painted cocktail pieces cinched at the waist. And then the show went into full bloom as ball gowns with inverted petal shapes graced the runway in bold and dramatic colors. The silhouette was very Dior but the grandiosity of it all was purely Galliano. This is what Galliano was known for: taking the basic shapes of the house and putting them in a fantasyland.
Review the entire spring/summer 2010 couture collection here.