Best of Paris Fashion Week

Dior FW11

by Grace Gordon

John Galliano’s incredible energy made him one of the busiest, most prolific and most creative designers of his day. Now, the curtain has closed abruptly on his career at Christian Dior. He was fired immediately after being caught making reprehensible racial slurs against Jews. While the fashion industry thrives on such gossip, it is devastating to hear this news, especially given the caliber of designer behind it.

Therefore, the fall/winter 2011 collection for Christian Dior is Galliano’s last, making it a historical show indeed. An especially somber crowd took their seats inside the Musée Rodin with hardly any idea of what to expect without Galliano at the helm of the show (though he created the clothing, he was not present for the final stages of preparing the collection). Dior CEO Sidney Toledano delivered a sobering speech on the values of Dior and the spirit of the legendary design house to a dead silent crowd of fashion industry elites before the show began.

Though the atmosphere was tainted with controversy, the collection itself was an utter triumph. The stunning opening outfit, worn by Karlie Kloss, brought the signature Galliano drama we all know and love. Kloss was outfitted in a swashbuckling cape and hat – the kind Errol Flynn may have tossed aside just before engaging in a heart-racing duel. What followed was a beautifully rendered, highly romantic collection that underscored Galliano’s singular talent for making dreams come to life. The bohemian spirit of this collection was matched by the extreme elegance of the clothes. Richly colored, the outfits contained exquisite dimensionality and movement. Layered ruffles, bubble hems and feather dresses were done on the Dior stage like they’ve never been done before. Fur accented many outfits, and added glamorous appeal to the collection. One imagines that Galliano may have gone grander and more extreme if he knew it had been his last show, but this was still a beautiful note to end a career on.

Photos: Courtesy of GoRunway

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