Christian Dior's John Galliano Shows New Collection

Imagine a show where all the models come out nude. Throw in a few scraps of black lace and the odd pair of tan leather jeans and you can practically visualise the new collection from Christian Dior.
Okay, the kind of "nude" on show on the catwalk at the vast space of the glass domed Grand Palais just off the Champs Elysées was that funny "American-tan-tights" kind of nude much loved by designers and such a favourite of Dior head designer John Galliano this season that he decided to devote a whole show to the colour.
Dispensing with the usual theatrics - no raised catwalk, no neon lights and practically not a scrap of make-up on his bevy of super models - the latest show from Dior looked positively modern for a change.
Ironically, the esteemed fashion house is celebrating 100 years since the birth of founder Christian Dior, the man who shocked the postwar world in 1947 with his extravagant New Look and went on to set up a template for contemporary fashion companies with a string of licensing deals and a best-selling perfume. British supermodel Stella Tennant was first out onto the extra long catwalk in a wisp of a chiffon and black lace dress that looked remarkably similar to a Dior dress worn by Kate Moss a few months ago at an American fashion bash.
Sticking to his fleshy theme, Galliano - who took over creative control of the fashion house in 1997, achieving amazing success - sent out variation upon variation of the nude dress; some in stiff organza, smocked stitched at the waist, some in chiffon dipped in bright pink or orange, with the odd denim jacket, pair of embossed tan leather jeans and a few handbags thrown in for good measure to applause from a front row that included Sharon Stone, Rachel Weisz and Lucy Liu.
As always the clothes seemed just an excuse for the real star of the show to make an appearance - Mr Galliano himself.
The lights dimmed and out he sashayed to a tribal drumbeat lifted straight from an old Adam and the Ants track, looking surprisingly like a male Donatella Versace with long blond hair, sleeveless T-shirt and tight black leather jeans, give or take a goatee beard.
Perhaps at least we should be thankful that the designer saw sense not to embrace the nude look himself.
from This Is London