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Website: www.dior.com

John Galliano

The house of DIOR is still one of the most successful Haute Couture houses in the world. John Galliano took over in 1997 and brought a new creative image for the house of Dior.

In 2001, Dior appointed Hedi Slimane as chief designer for Dior Menswear.

In late 2001, Dior opened a new jewellery store in the Place Vendome in Paris, alongside all the leading jewellers Carter, Chaumet, Boucheron and Van Cleef and Arpels. The new store was personally set up by Victoria de Castellane who runs Dior's jewellery activities.

Ready-to-Wear - Spring/Summer 2003

John Galliano presented the Dior Spring/Summer 2003 collection in Paris in October 2002. This is an outfit from that collection where he has turned model Giselle Bundchen into a man, with a silky shirt.

His collection has now matured, showing accessible versions of the crazy garments he has been putting on the catwalk in the last few seasons. But colours were still very strong, and ethnic references were discarded in favour of all-out glamour.

Haute Couture - Spring/Summer 2003

In January 2003, John Galliano showed his Spring 2003 Haute Couture collection for Dior in Paris. It was a brilliant romp through Chinese culture, as can be seen from the dress shown on the right.

Galliano has been searching Asia for inspiration and the show was a tour de force of music, light effects and very impressive clothes. Huge wraps in pink faille embroidered with flowers, crinolines and multi-layered robe dresses. The accessories were equally elaborate, seven-inch heeled platform shoes, bags cut like Chinese boats and a six foot wide red umbrella were amontg the great pieces.

Ready-to-Wear - Fall/Winter 2003

John Galliano presented the Dior ready-to-wear Fall collection during Paris Fashion Week in March 2003. The outfit on the left is from that show.

He adapted his Couture garments in the Chinese style into more wearable proportions. His creative imagination used the exotic Asian flower prints again and lowered the height of the shoes. But basically it was his couture collection all over again.

Oscar Night 2003

On Oscar Night in March 2003, among the celebrities on the red carpet, was Hilary Swank in this beautiful pink Dior gown.

Haute Couture - Fall/Winter 2003

John Galliano sent out another brilliant collection in Paris in July. It was dedicated to the dance and particularly inspired by the Spanish Flamenco. Models wore the Spanish ruffled skirts in brilliant colours and the audience was spellbound.

Spring/Summer 2004

During Paris Fashion Week in October 2003, John Galliano showed his Dior collection for next Spring. A dress from this collection is shown on the right.

John did not use his extensive research trips from some exotic part of the world for this collection, he went back to the 1930s and Marlene Dietrich. He created curvy gunmetal satin suits, fox-fur jackets, his signature print chiffon dresses and some ultra-sexy swimwear.

Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2004

Galiano went right the way back to ancient Egypt for his Haute Couture collection shown in Paris in January 2004,, sending model Erin O'Connor down the runway with a chaperon head-dress and false postiche beard. His crispy striped organza was straight out of King Tutankhamen's tomb. He used reptilian leather, hieroglyphic prints, scarab earrings, and all manner of Egyptian touches.

He had taken a trip to Cairo and Luxor last year which inspired him to use the 5,000 year old culture in a completely modern way and he excelled himself in showmanship.

Fall/Winter 2004 ready-to-wear

John Galliano presented his Dior Fall collection in Paris during Fashion Week in March 2004. He introduced Poiret-style fur-collared coats from the early days of the century, worn over lacy chiffon dresses. Sneakers were worn with these outfits. Some pretty fragile evening dresses that John does so well, were included, with watery pastel chiffons. He made it a witty and fast-paced show, but there weren't any of the big surprises which we have come to expect from a Galliano show, except for BIG clown-size shoulders and torsos on some creations.

Haute Couture Fall 2004

John Galliano was inspired by royalty and dressed his models in crowns, carrying orbs and regalia, over velvet robes which reminded his audience of turn-of-the century Europe and it's doomed royal families. Jewel-embroidered silks and satins, with huge hemlines of ermine and mink were worn with Stephen Jones tiaras, and huge chandelier earrings. This was a show to keep Haute Couture high on a pedestal.

Ready-to-Wear Spring/Summer 2005

John Galliano presented his Dior collection for the Spring season during Paris Fashion Week in October 2004. An outfit from this collection is shown on the right.

John appears to have calmed down this season, and showed many simple wearable commercial outfits. Perfect snug jackets, light skirts, miniskirts, stripey hose and more grown-up clothes. He did of course put one or two sensational pieces, just to give some spice to the show, but overall it seemed to be a gear change at Dior which Chairman of LVMH Bernard Arnault said was just what he wanted.

Trump wedding dress

In January 2005, Melania Knauss wed Donald Trump in Miami. Her choice of gown was a Dior shown here on the left. It is estimated to have cost about $ 200,000, had a 13-foot train and a 16-foot veil, and took 550 hours of sewing. She wore a Vera Wang for the wedding dinner later.

Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2005

During January 2005, the Haute Couture shows for Spring/Summer 2005 took place in Paris. John Galliano is the only designer who could combine Andy Warhol, the artist of the 60's, with the elegance of Napoleon and Josephine in the French Empire period, but he managed it. A dress from the show appears on the right.

He showed low-heeled knee boots along with Josephine empire-line dresses, tucked and decorated with flowers, and hairdos featuring birdcages and chandeliers. The models looked fresh and pretty.

John himself strode down the catwalk in a Napoleon outfit, shown here on the left.

Oscar Night
February 27th 2005

Supermodel Giselle Bundchen accompanied her boyfriend Leonardo di Caprio, who was nominated for Best Actor. Giselle wore one of John Galliano's Josephine dresses, from this year's haute couture collection, white with an empire-line design. It is shown on the right.

Also wearing John Galliano on Oscar night, was last year's Oscar winner Charlize Theron shown on the left.

Ready-to-Wear
Autumn/Winter 2005

John Galliano presented his Dior Autumn/Winter collection during Paris Fashion Week in March 2005. This was a more sober show, stripped of John's usual flash that has dominated his collections for several seasons. His creations this time included short balloon dresses cut from ruby red velvet and striped mohar sweater dresses. Brown crocodile skin coats were teamed with high boots, as shown here on the right.

Baby Dior

John Galliano has set up a new Dior Baby store in London, opening it's doors in June 2005. All the smartest baby clothes will be available there, as well as designer Teddy Bears.

Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2005

The Haute Couture collections for Autumn/Winter 2005 were held in Paris in July 2005. John Galliano decided to make a great occasion of this show, celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Christian Dior. A carriage drawn by two black stallions were part of the presentation. The audience were treated to a fashion history lesson, with full-skirted New Look dresses from Dior's great 1947 debut, as well as the Edwardian styles which were worn by his mother and influenced him in his youth. John also included inspiration from Peru with fantastic colours and prints. It was a very vibrant show, which had the audience on their feet applauding.

Ready-to-Wear
Spring/Summer 2006
Paris Fashion Week

John Galliano presented his Dior Spring/Summer 2006 ready-to-wear collection during Paris Fashion Week in October 2005. A brown satin mini dress with spaghetti straps from the collection is shown on the right.

John has foregone the splashy look of earlier collections, in favour of womanly, elegant and wearable clothes this season. He had been criticised for showing bells and whistles shows, and this time presented beautiful pieces with exquisite details. A long chiffon gown cascaded in graduations of pink to its hem. A big organza shirt with washed leather pants had an eighties silhouette. Some sheer chiffon dresses barely veiled the bosom, but there was not too much flesh showing. An embroidered swimsuit was a hit. Galliano has transformed his artistic vision of the essence of Dior into womanliness and couture construction.

click below:

Christian Dior: The Early Years 1947-57 by Esmeralda de Rethy

Dior in Vogue by Brigid Kennan

Christian Dior: The Man Who Made the World Look New by Marie France Pochna

Christian Dior by Richard Martin

Dior (The Universe of Fashion) by Marie France Pochna

Christian Dior: The Magic of Fashion by Terence Measham

Christian Dior (Fashion Designers Series) by Diana de Marly

The New Look: The Dior Revolution by Nigel Cawthorne

2007