It would take more words than are in this entire review to fully describe any single outfit in John Galliano's thundering, swirling, multi-everything Fall collection. "Eskimo and Mongolian hotties! Keep the fur flying!" was the backstage prompt to Galliano's tribe as they marauded out to flaunt patchworked and rose-embroidered shearlings, extra-flouncy skirts, chiffons, bobbly striped knits and a whole load more in the delighted faces of an audience that included Lenny Kravitz and Kate Moss.
Galliano likes to tease commentators by keeping a couple of leagues ahead of their ability to document his continent-hopping inspiration, basic-to-deluxe materials and bewildering repertoire of techniques. Suffice it to say that this show included Chinese brocade and dragon-head motifs, Spanish fringe, Scottish tartan, Peruvian pom-poms, American-Indian moccasins, lace-printed denim, salmon skin, satin embroidery, rough-hewn fur, and feathers.
Galliano is amongst the small band of designers who stand up for the value of individuality in a season when color, workmanship and the confidence of singular points of view have been all too frequently stifled by commercial pressure. The irony, of course, is that single pieces from this collection will look far more seductive on a store rack than any number of black cashmere turtlenecks.
