Fashion shows

John Galliano Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

Held on Oct 3rd, 2010 |
Designer: John Galliano
City: Paris

Galliano Spring Summer 2011 takes its cue from the late 1920′s, when an actress named Maria Lami appeared on the Paris Art Scene. The relationship between the artist and the muse is as rich as the many faces of her allure, and has inspired an array of d

For Spring John Galliano's muse was the fictitious sounding but real Maria Lani. Passing herself off as an actress, she conned the creme de la creme of the twenties Paris art scene into painting her portrait and then absconded with some 50 works.

Over the next two years she cast her spell over Paris, and convinced over fifty leading artists of the day to paint her portrait, on the pretext that their work would star, with this ingenue, in a Horror Movie about “the painting that came to life” Henri Matisse, Jean Cocteau, Marc Chagall, Fernand Leger, Chaim Soutine, Giorgio de Chirico and TsuguharuFujita were amongs the names she charmed. All agreed this intriguing character could, no must, sit for them. Pieces are worked to interpret the artist; the muse and her unique persona layering shapes and combinations of fragile fabrics. Fine inverted pleats open into brush stroke draping and puffed out nuage collars, asymetric layered ruffles evoke the refractions of her subtly ever changing pose, while tailoring is belted high under the bust echoing Modigliani’s line.

Sheer outrageousness and over-the-top extravagance are synonymous with a John Galliano affair, and, like his collection for Dior, the designer’s spring/ summer 2011 namesake show was no exception. Bright lights and eccentricity oozed from the runway at the grand Opéra Comique and brought the designer’s propensity for theatrics to the forefront of Paris Fashion Week. Crystal-encrusted gowns and luxurious outerwear were on point for the 1920s setting, while thigh-grazing skirts and belted blazers brought the collection into the 21st century. But without the theatrics of a Galliano show and the flashy style of Maria Lani fresh on your mind, completely sheer dresses and daytime negligés may seem out of place for a woman of today. Nonetheless, with a show that boasts models carrying gilded frames and a shower of gold confetti at the end, Galliano reminds us of his unparalleled vision and the undeniable force he holds in the fashion industry.