Monday, February 22, 2010

Power Designers: John Galliano

by Jenny Seo

John Galliano
28 November 1960 - Present
“Yeah, that's what I'm working for. The couture house of the future.”


Galliano. Enough said. Any fashion aficionado or follower must or already knows of Galliano’s ingenious designs and influence in the fashion industry. Galliano was born in Gibraltar, but raised in London, and eventually moved to Paris to start his booming career. Coming from a modest family where his father worked as a plumber, Galliano came to be a surprise not only to himself but to the fashion industry. It wasn’t until the sixteen year-old Galliano went to East London College to study design, that he discovered the arts. From there, he went on to Central Saint Martins art school and a superstar was born. He was appointed as chief designer for Givenchy then moved onto bigger things, Christian Dior.

Galliano's first collection for Dior, 1996

Dior Couture, S 2010

In Cathy Horyn’s online article, “Galliano Plays His Hand Smartly” Horyn approaches Galliano in an esteemed commendable tone. From commenting his personal fashion outfits to his brilliant talent exhibited in his collections, Horyn bounces off each compliment off another waterfall of accolades. “He is one of the few designers working today who actually knows how to cut cloth (Horyn).” Horyn here puts Galliano on a pedestal as compared to the rest of the fashion world, personally giving him credit for his original techniques, which were blasted to an “industrial scale."

Galliano in the Dior showroom

The article highlights Galliano’s visit to New York to present Dior’s resort collection. While resort collections fall under par as compared to ready-to-wear collections and haute couture collections, Horyn highlights this aspect and how Galliano and ultimately Dior decided to make an event out of this atypical occasion. Horyn points out how while Galliano is the creative genius to the house of Dior, ultimately the fashion industry has become a business. With this, the businessmen voice their opinions to the creators. While Galliano is known for his outrageous and new designs, his designs are becoming for consumer-wearable as presented in his new resort collection. Horyn says Galliano has changed, but is it he who changed? Or being guided by the fashion industry?

Galliano Resort Colection 2009

The other persona of John Galliano is the designer who directs his own label. Galliano uses his own line for greater experimentation. The shows are typically over the top.


Galliano Vs. Galliano:

It has been said that Galliano treats the models of his own collection as his dolls. Above S 2009 and below S 2010.



No comments:

Post a Comment