John Galliano Homme: Don Juan Reinterpreted
By Mari Davis

PARIS, Jan 25, 2004/ FW/ --- If John Galliano took us to Egypt for his Dior Haute Couture Spring 2004, he decided to take us to the literary world for his runway interpretation of Don Juan.

Whether it was inspired by the poem “Don Juan” by the English poet Lord Byron, or the play Don Juan by Jose Zorilla, even the movie Don Juan De Marco starring Johnny Depp, it was an entertaining, sometimes blasé look into John Galliano’s creative mind.

Galliano whose first name in Spanish is Juan did a playful intertrepation of his literary namesake, sending his models in tight pants, generously cut suits, fur and leather coats.

There was even a long raw leather coat that can make a Texas cowboy look at home in the range, if ever he can afford John Galliano.

One of the most baffling moments was when Galliano decided to dress his models in skirts!

Then, when you remember that in Lord Byron’s poem, Don Juan was sold to slavery in Turkey after the pirate Lambro found Don Juan with his daughter Haidée.

Gulbeyaz, the latest wife of the Sultan bought him anonymously, and Don Juan was smuggled into the place disguised as a female slave so that he can enter the Queen’s chamber.

Literary critics might say that the show was not a true interpretaion of Don Juan’s character, rather an amalgamation of all the things written on Don Juan, stretching it even at times, specially when Galliano had that “gym” workout moment in the collection.

But we are fashion critics, and we allow a lot of leeway when it comes to journalistic license. And though some literary critics might disagree, I would say that John Galliano’s interpretation of his Spanish namesake is witty and playful.

On top of all these, the designer even came out with commercially viable accessories such as bags and hats, sure to be hits when they hit the stores.

Innovative as always, the designer proposed bias cut pants part clever tailoring part street sportswear with seams running from hip, to inside knee to outside ankle as the latest men’s pants craze next fall.

Though this is only John Galliano Homme first ever runway show, (he did a presentation last season) we can already see the designer innovativeness when it comes to menswear.

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano