Paris Fashion Week

Christian Dior, Spring/Summer '08 (scroll down to read the review)
Christian Dior
There were two opposing sides to the collection at Dior, the mannish and the ultra-feminine, and more often than not John Galliano had combined them. The three-piece suit that opened the show as well as the pagoda-shouldered trench coats, high-waisted wide pants, waistcoats, and even vests and braces, were appropriated from the male wardrobe, yet were cut just for women.

Then there were gender-bending combos of silk and lace camisoles worn under a tail coat, a gentleman’s coral silk robe thrown over cami-knickers and lingerie worn under pyjamas. These shared the runway with plenty of pretty dresses cut in jade, pistachio, chocolate or lilac silk. The whole collection had an old Hollywood feel (think Marlene Dietrich) with a little Paul Poiret (and maybe even some Hercule Poirot too) thrown in, as well as, to those who attended them back then, Galliano’s early shows in London.