Paris, Oct 11, 2001/ FWD/ --- It was Raggety-Ann-meets-Michelin at John Galliano’s Spring 2002 collection Thursday night, where exaggerated cuts and busy, layered looks dominated the runway.

Pants and jackets, caftans and trenches for the most part all ran extra-large.

An argyle snakeskin suit with linebacker-looking shoulders and puffed sleeves opened the show - a look that’s just right for a nightclub bouncer but a bit much for a lady of luxury - same with an oversized blue suede grease monkey ensemble that made Stella Tennant look like Mike the Mechanic.

Then it was on to a series of pattern-piled layered looks: skirts over pants, vests upon shirts, stripes with swirls and “John Galliano” prints, Mexican beaded details, braided ropes in bright colors flailing all around.

But that’s not to say that within and around there weren’t beautiful, luxurious pieces - they were just a bit difficult to discern from the overdone display.

A pretty off-the-shoulder chiffon blouse, a fitted caramel-colored leather jacket, a slim brown leather skirt, a long Native-American sweater coat were all indicative of what makes Galliano the success he is.

Ironically, he decided to end the show with the tamest, most practical piece in the collection: a simple, sexy black chiffon number that flounced off the shoulder and laced up the side – a look that will undoubtedly show up in society photos come spring.

As with the Christian Dior label, which he also designs, Galliano sometimes dizzyingly overdoses it.

As a designer of such rich ideas and extreme talent, he would do best toning it down a bit.

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano

John Galliano