over the last few days, i’ve heard alot on the news about the sad state of affairs when it comes to the economy. microsoft laying off staff, big stores closing, more and more people are unemployed. as a friend of mine and i were walking around san francisco yesterday, looking at the big new bulgari flagship set to open this spring, my first thought was the economy. but then i turned to him and said–looking at the big diamond necklace plastered outside, “i suppose if you can afford to buy that, you’re not concerned about the economy.” such is probably the life for those that can afford to buy couture. as the shows kicked off today, i wondered if designers would be scaling back at all, like they are for the new york shows next month. if john galliano has anything to say about it, shows would be lighthearted over the top extravaganzas just as they are every season. and christian dior would be right at the beginning of the list.
in a collection inspired by vermeer, many of the shapes were not only unwearable in daily life (the suits with super full crinoline hemlines), but also silhouettes that galliano has visited before (along with inspiration). as beautiful as the collection was (the colors were gorgeous), the simplier dresses with the more tonal embroidery (like on chanel, top middle) were my favorite, along with the white and black section in the middle, both of which weren’t worked to death. galliano said of the times, “everyone is more careful with with their discretionary purchases. i am. but it’s our job to make people dream, and to provide the value in quality, cut, and imagination.” unfortunately, the clothes may be pretty, but they didn’t make me dream. it made me long for the days of older dior couture, the pretty and the punk, the beautiful and the damned.
pics from style.com
