PARIS, Jan 22, 2001/ -- Call it Cartoon Dior. Recently, the house has taken inspiration from bag ladies, trailer trash and S&M weddings, so why not something a little more prosaic for spring/summer 2001 - comic books.

To be more exact, designer John Galliano looked to continental cartoon strips to find fodder for Dior's haute couture collection, shown Monday at the Academie des Beaux Arts on a drizzly day in Paris.

A psychedelic, multi-colored Cadillac (circa 1957) greeted the well-heeled guests who stepped unsteadily around puddles on their way in to the Academie.

The show opened with a storm, staged with the sound of booming thunder and bolts of lightning reflected off a 50-foot wall.

The collection was divided into four tribes: punks, rockers, housewives and squaws. First came 10 beautiful punkettes, wearing eyeglasses and decked in deconstructed, parachute-like jackets that morphed into sexy, semi-transparent skirts worn over fishnet stockings.

Sure the clothes were all over the place, but they had great sex appeal.

They also neatly highlighted a new Dior book bag in black suede embellished with a small patent number 2.

As usual with Galliano, the show began late. Dior patron Bernard Arnault didn't even take his seat until 5:45PM, 45 minutes after the show was scheduled to begin.

But few were tawdrier than singer Gwen Stefani, who got some angry glances when she scurried in to the front row more than halfway through the show.

Madame Helene Arnault gave the No Doubt singer a particularly icy glare.

Judging from the next look - six housewives wearing giant tent dresses printed with images of suburban activities like gardening, cleaning and cocktail hour - Galliano has a low opinion of married life.

Rock chicks, on the other hand, excite the designer.

To the tune of Destiny's Child's "Independent Woman," Galliano sent out 10 sassy rocker groupies dressed in sequined Dior jackets and fringed bodices.

Has the divide between the pristine, grand dames of Dior's front row and Galliano's backstage couture chicks ever looked so wide?

As two large Dior logos lit up on the runway's backdrop, Galliano's fourth tribe of sultry squaws appeared, many of them wearing dresses with single shoulder straps and bare breasts.

Some of these squaws donned cartoon-print sheepskins, while others wore Comanche suede skirts.

Calling Kate Hudson: If you're thinking of Almost Famous II, Dior has the clothes for you.

Dior Haute Couture

Dior Haute Couture

Dior Haute Couture

Dior Haute Couture

Dior Haute Couture