|
'It's Like I'm Back in 1985': Galliano Returns to His Roots
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by: Gruber-FWD
Click on image to see bigger photo.
Paris, Mar 16, 2001/FWD/ --- John Galliano returned to his early days as a designer in an uneven
Fall 2001 signature collection that nonetheless contained many gems.
"It's like I'm back in 1985," Galliano told old friends and admirers, referring to his first
years out of design school.
Staged on a shiny lacquered catwalk in the Paris Empire Theatre and accompanied by the
ever-excellent music of Jeremy Healy, the show drew Jay-Z, pal Damon Dash and their eight
bodyguards.
One massive behemoth stood sentry behind his musical charges, surreally dwarfing
the petite, thin-boned French editors until the lights darkened.
The collection, which was all done with laser cuts, had a wonderful finale with some of the
prettiest dresses seen anywhere this year.
The opening passages, however, were a little
problematic: filled with clownish check pants and jackets of comic book colors.
Among these jesters were some fine denim frock coats and short jackets with raglan sleeves
that would make many outfits swing.
John has been tapping comic strip imagery for some time in his fashion and
even took his applause wearing a similar look.
The models swung out briskly, their shoulders twisting back and forth in poses.
It was all so different from Galliano's early shows in Paris where they emoted like lost
demoiselles.
John does have a weakness for veils, sending out several veiled dresses over black cat suits that
you couldn't imagine many women wearing off a runway.
But suddenly, the British designer hit his stride with deconstructed military jackets in green
and red satin, and high-collared leather frock coats with beautiful perforations.
His "classic" ideas now look contemporary.
The show also unveiled a neat new Galliano bag - a flattened oval shape, almost strapped to
the hand.
But nothing was as stunning as some artfully deconstructed floral Edwardian gowns, one
of which was simply beautiful on Alek Wek.
According to stylists, some Galliano dresses are so complicated it can take half an hour to
put them on a model.
But if you look this good it's worth the effort.
|
