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Christian Dior: A Mix of Statements -- but Nothing New
By: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
Paris, Jul 9, 2002/ FW/ --- Though couture is all about creating impossible fashions for
the world's most beautiful women, the Christian Dior collection presented Monday in Paris
seemed obsessed with female subordination.
Models appeared with their lips pinched shut with metal pins, or mouths covered with gold
sequins, gluedd on so hard that the girls looke to be in real pain when removing them
post-show backstage.
Girls also slouched out in tribal metal breastplates, entitled "body sculpture" -- some
jutting and others sagging -- like those worn by a deeply unhappy-looking Alek Wek.
In addition to these visual statements on subservience, there were some exuberant moments
from the house of Dior's couturier, John Galliano.
He revived the "Seven Year Itch" trick with under-catwalk fans that revealed gold straw under
taffeta dresses or pink feathers under a blue nylon coat.
Otherwise there was precious little new in the collection, as Galliano ordered out his usual
suspects -- posh punkettes, pampered bag ladies, and mad trappers.
And there were definitely some wearable items -- embroidered suede jackets and silk jersey
dresses with just the right amount of deconstruction.
However, it was hard to spot a major new trend in a collection that was overshadowed by
some stunning hats.
The great teamwork between hatter Stephen Jones and the Dior atelier sent out arresting
looks like a series of six-foot long pied piper feather fantasies, bison head burlesques,
and Alaskan hunter numbers with fox caps skewered with driftwood.
"I thought the show was extraordinary and the music amazing," said Dennis Hopper, here in
Paris snapping couture for French Vogue.
Asked whether he would wear anything from the collection, the Easiest Rider replied, "Yeah,
the amazing headgear would be perfect for my peyote parties."
Hopper led an impressive array of stars and socialites at the show.
These included rocker Gwen Stefani, formers catwalkers Helena Christensen and Karen Mulder,
Paris Hilton and parents, two Miller sisters (FYI Marie Chantal and Alexandra), Marisa
Berenson, Deeda Blair, Lee Radziwill, Madame Pompidou, Malcolm McLaren and Jean Charles de
Castelbajac.
Dior's seating policy continues to amaze, as the house sat the latest designer to join the
Conglomerate's fold, Donna Karan, in the second row, never mind the fact that the lady is
still recovering from her skiing accident and uses a cane.
Dior's continued preference of showing in the middle of racetracks and their obsession
with security also jars.
Guests were requested to show their invitations no less than four times on the way into
the show, and Dior's security men muscled and shoved around the beautiful girls who modeled
in a rival show Imitation of Christ, at the entrance to the Auteuil.
That alternative collection was shambolic, but at least it felt amusingly new.
Something the Dior collection failed to do.
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