Christian Dior's Couture Cuts

 

It may have been rather literal in the rendering, but by God it was beautiful. John Galliano's Fall 2010 collection for Christian Dior Couture saw fashion and fantasy collide in an effervescent flower-bomb of frocks, with dip-dyed silks draped petal-like upon the models and heads shrink-wrapped in cellophane courtesy of Stephen Jones. The inspiration was plain to see - a study in floral form that grew into a bouquet of gowns so exquisitely true to life, so vibrant and verdant, that they seemed freshly cut from Galliano's personal garden. A pure and unadulterated tribute to nature’s own sartorial show-offs, and one that, for me, captured the very essence of haute couture.

See some of the looks in motion in SHOWstudio’s behind-the-scenes video of Nick Knight’s shoot for AnOther Magazine, Dynamic Blooms:

SHOWstudio is also currently featuring an exhibition on foliate still-lifes, Florist, at its Mayfair gallery, running until 13th January 2011. Find out more here, and for now feast your eyes on these beauties:

Irving Penn's still-life portraits:

Ori Gersht's Exploding Flowers:

Under The Tree

Braving the depths of the attic to unearth decomposing Christmas decorations is a rite of passage for many at this time of year. Battered boxes of baubles, moulting tinsel and tangled strings of fairy lights - nothing signals the start of the season quite like it. Yet after experiencing a full-on face crash into a florist's inexplicably low-hanging wreath earlier, I could only think gladly, mouth full of pine needles, of my own more minimalist decorations waiting back home.

Yep, this year I’ve gone all Zen and bought a Christmas tree wall sticker (found here) in place of a traditional evergreen. A little unconventional perhaps, but what, may I ask, would you want with one of those past-it pine numbers? What, with their invitingly festive scent and three-dimensional decorating potential? They’re nothing compared to my plastic wall sticker! It’s so clean and neat and…ok, so my flat doesn't have room for a proper tree. But chancing upon John Galliano for Dior’s similarly unorthodox design for the Claridge’s Christmas tree last night, I felt a little bit better about my ersatz alternative.

Entitled ‘Under The Sea’, this is the second tree Galliano has designed for Claridge’s following last year’s ‘frozen’ offering, which featured a prowling leopard amongst its ice-blue boughs. It is very beautiful, and very, very fabulous. Scattered with seashells and crystals, the tree stands a sparkling shade of coral in the corner of the lobby with jellyfish, crabs and a very cute seahorse decorously clinging to it. 

I particularly enjoyed the quote from Galliano given on the front plaque: “The majestic beauty of Claridge’s Art Deco interiors never fails to inspire me”. Art Deco as inspiration wasn't quite what sprung to mind when gazing at this Little Mermaid meets Cornify creation, but whatever you say John – it’s still spectacular. He's taken on the traditional tree and christened it cool again. Although rooted in a similar spirit of nonconformity, I have a feeling my wall sticker won’t look quite as impressive as this winter wonder.