A Collection by John Galliano During His Second Year for Dior
Dior haute couture for spring/summer 1998 is a well-renowned show, ranked in Vogue’s top 11 most memorable fashion shows in history. Since Christian Dior debuted his first collection in 1947, the name has been associated with grandeur designed for the archetype of the Queen. Six creative directors have followed the work of Dior himself, the first being prodigy Yves Saint Laurent. John Galliano took on the role between 1997 and 2011, his spring/ summer haute couture show in 1998 is one of the most defining of his career. Check out the runway photos here.
The Inspiration
One of the most interesting aspects of this show is that Galliano’s muse for the line was Marchesa Casati- born in 1881. She was a fabulously eccentric Italian heiress. Casati was well known for hitting the town with leashed cheetahs and wearing live snakes as jewelry. She was this extravagant patron of the arts who inspired many designers. Alexander McQueen’s spring/summer 2007, Karl Lagerfeld cruisewear 2010, and Omar Mansoor’s autumn/winter 2016 all credit Casati as a muse.
However, Galliano seemed to have another muse for this line as well. The venue itself. The Paris Opera Garnier. The house was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the request of Emperor Napoleon III. It is now known as “Palais Garnier ” in memory of its architect Charles Garnier. There were 15 principal artists, 75 sculptors, and myriad artisans who slaved away on the architectural marvel. And it’s so decadent it’s often compared to a royal wedding cake. It has a Beaux-Arts style and eclectic Neo-Baroque elements. Apollo is a recurring theme in the carvings, a symbol that this is a place for arts.
The Runway
The show itself takes place on the grand marble staircase. The marble of the staircase is a white marble imported from Italy and the railing was made of antique green and red marble columns. The ceiling was painted by Isidore Pils and shows the Triumph of Apollo. And the gold, which I definitely cannot forget to mention. There was gold everywhere, I couldn’t think of a way for the whole scene to be more opulently fabulous if I tried. Galliano chose the staircase as the runway for a reason. In the 19th century, the Grand Staircase was the modern-day Instagram. The place to see and be seen. The architect, Garnier himself said that “The opera is the staircase.” It was the place to find out who was together, who was suddenly not, and who got that adorable new top. But my favorite fun fact about the Paris Opera Garnier is that this is the Opera House that inspired the “Phantom of the Opera ” which is just so luxurious I could die. But I will spare you of my musical theater nerd out and get into the show itself.
The Pieces
The one word that comes to mind looking at the images and designs of this show is magic. Every detail of this meticulously thought-out performance was magical. This was the first time we truly witnessed the enchantment of Galliano himself. He was able to show off his own style while paying proper homage to the well-established brand of Dior. A balance creative directors still struggle to find. In the pieces themselves Galliano often references Diors “New Look,” with overly cinched waists and exaggerated hips.
I struggled deeply to choose only one stand out look from this line. The silver dress is a famously intricate design that captures the heart of every fashion fanatic, but my ultimate choice is a piece worn by model Amy Wesson (view here). The juxtaposition of lace, florals, glitter and fur is one unmatched by any other design. The layering of these textures created an ethereal look not categorized by season or style, but instead a provocation of emotion. It feels feminine and strong, powerful and ladylike. With this one ensemble, Galliano managed to capture the messy beauty of womanhood.
The Models
Astrid Muñoz, Nadja Auermann, Eva Herzigova, Erin O’Conner, and Carolyn Murphy are just a few of the talented models selected to adorn the line. The show steered clear of the bigger modeling names of the decade. Perhaps Galliano did this to keep the headlines on the pieces rather than the bodies inside them. The models looked fabulously effortless as they descended the marble staircase with apparent ease. The feat of walking down a grand staircase in Manolo Blahnik heels, hand in hand with an escort, was achieved with a grace only high fashion could give.
In true Galliano fashion, the show ended with an eruption of confetti butterflies landing on the viewers. Every aspect of this show was beautifully theatric. Whether it was the inspiration of the ballet, opera or Casati herself, John Galliano was able to conjure up a magical performance that continues to be unmatched in terms of sheer fabulousness.
Read Behind The Lines 