John Galliano, the seductive puppet master behind Christian Dior for the past 12 years, channeled his inner tribal side at Paris’s Prêt-a-Porter 2008 with his African inspired spring/summer collection. Galliano claimed that his inspiration evolved from his “memories of many trips, all over Africa.” The Tuileries gardens made the perfect backdrop for Dior’s youthful explosion of culture, fashion, and color.
The Parisian catwalk was like an artist’s palette bursting with the purest and most vivid colors. Hot pink, fiery orange, white, mustard yellow, aqua, putty brown, black and bright red dominated the catwalk. Galliano crossed the most exotic reptilian skins with gorgeous flowing sheer chiffon and organza fabrics and then embellished them with studs, cowrie shells, giant sequins discs, and a multitude of other accessories.
The python bustier and jackets paired with micro-skirts were “bananas” as Rachel Zoe would say. The vibrant summer dresses were short and ruffled, barely stretching to mid thigh. Be prepared to see your favorite celebrities lining up to get their hands on one! And who could forget the most adorable color coordinating hot pants that accompanied each dress. His evening collection was long, billowy and filled with glamour.
In fashion of Galliano’s tribal theme, each model sported a cone shaped, crimped up-do with bobbed bangs, wore appropriate ornate African inspired jewels, and strutted down the catwalk in the most fantastic stilettos. The super sexy, strappy stilettos were about 5 inches and some had fertility goddess figurines as heels.
The many admirers that flocked to Dior’s dazzling debut include Dita Von Teese, Emma Watson, Stephanie Seymour, Milla Jovovich, Lily Allen, and Katy Perry. His fans represent such a diverse variety of age and personality, making it nearly impossible to appeal to all. Leave it to Dior to design such a unique, multifarious collection catered for all walks of life. As Galliano once said, “my role is to seduce.” I think it is safe to say that John Galliano has once again seduced his way into the hearts of Dior lovers and fashionistas alike.
