Dior by John Galliano was an era unlike any other in fashion. And Dior’s Spring 2009 Couture show was absolutely no exception. Galliano went above and beyond by creating narratives that were seeped in fantasy: models head-to-toe represented beings from a different kind of world. This was a moment in time that was about creating a statement, rather than being concerned about wearability. The runway served its purpose as the runway. Imagine that.
The Dior Spring 2009 couture show took place on January 25, 2009. A little over ten years ago feels like a long time, but it’s also interesting to note that 2009 was considered a U.S. recession. Which, now, in 2020, we are also starting to experience amidst the global pandemic and political and racial unrest. Galliano proved that fashion was still alive and well, however, with a collection made of a beautiful blend of Van Dyck, Vermeer, and Galliano himself.
During the spring 2009 couture week in Paris, there were two questions going around; “What are your inspirations?” and, “And what do you think about the recession?”
For the first answer Galliano said his inspirations were “Flemish painters and Monsieur Dior”.
And, what did he think about the recession? “There’s a credit crunch, not a creative crunch. Of course, everyone is being more careful 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.” Well said.
Thinking about this collection, and Galliano’s statements given today’s context is quite interesting. Look at the recent runways and anyone, even people who aren’t fashion lovers, will tell you it’s gotten stale and boring. No one dares to dream anyone. Given the state of our world, with a tanking economy, a global pandemic and general unrest, will designers dare to dream again in the very near future? With the fashion show as we know it going digital, there’s a lot of room to get experimental. Designers will either have to chose something that makes people feel comfortable, or, push the boundaries of what we know and challenge everything we know. We personally would love to see the latter.
1 Comment