Christian Dior By John Galliano Crochet-Knit Slip Dress, Spring-Summer 1998
View Similar Items
Christian Dior By John Galliano Crochet-Knit Slip Dress, Spring-Summer 1998
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: Size M (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Excellent condition. The dress has been never worn.
- Seller Location:Geneva, CH
- Reference Number:Seller: 1DJD08521stDibs: LU56022717272
John Galliano
Known for introducing rich theatricality and memorable fashion spectacles to the runway, John Galliano has enjoyed a singular career. The audacious British designer has garnered universal acclaim for genre-breaking collections not only at his eponymous label but also for Givenchy and Christian Dior.
From his embroidered absinthe-green Oscars gown for actress Nicole Kidman to the iconic sleeveless newspaper-print dress that Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw made famous, Galliano’s intricate and multifaceted work is reliably newsworthy, drawing on history as often as it embodies a fresh and forward-looking sensibility, and over the years the designer has helped shape an ever-broadening new legion of enthusiasts for Parisian couture.
Born in Gibraltar but raised in South London by strict Roman Catholic working-class parents, Galliano attended the all-boys Church of England grammar school, where his flamboyance and interest in art attracted the attention of bullies. Eventually, Galliano ended up at the prestigious design and art school Central Saint Martins College (then called Saint Martin’s School of Art), where fellow British designers Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen also trained.
Galliano flourished at Central Saint Martins. While a student, he worked in the costume department at the National Theatre in London. His graduate collection in 1984, dubbed “Les Incroyables” and named for post–French Revolution fashion lovers, was modeled by close friends of his and earned a standing ovation. The line ended up in the storefront windows of London luxury boutique Brown’s on South Molton Street, and Galliano’s first official collection — after he graduated — debuted at Paris Fashion Week in 1989.
In the early 1990s, Galliano’s relationship with his financial backer, Plein Sud’s Faycal Amor, ended, and by 1994, he was broke and sleeping on the floor of a friend’s apartment. Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour and then-Vanity Fair editor André Leon Talley stepped in and introduced the budding designer to Portuguese socialite and fashion patron São Schlumberger and others. At Schlumberger’s Hôtel Particulier, Galliano’s shows became the stuff of fashion legend. His collection, a blend of Japanese modernist style as well as nostalgia for Art Deco and 1940s’ tailoring, earned raves in glossy magazines and garnered the attention of Princess Diana, Madonna and other fashion luminaries.
Once the Galliano name was well known among the world’s most stylish set, the chairperson of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, appointed Galliano head designer of French fashion house Givenchy. One year later, in 1996, LVMH moved him to the design team at Dior, where he produced scores of celebrated looks for Dior Haute Couture. Today, Galliano is the creative director of Maison Margiela.
Shop vintage John Galliano evening dresses and gowns, handbags, jackets and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
Christian Dior
When Christian Dior launched his couture house, in 1946, he wanted nothing less than to make “an elegant woman more beautiful and a beautiful woman more elegant.” He succeeded, and in doing so the visionary designer altered the landscape of 20th century fashion. Vintage Dior bags, shoes, evening dresses, shirts and other garments and accessories are known today for their feminine and sophisticated sensibility.
Dior was born in Granville, on the Normandy coast, in 1905. His prosperous haute bourgeois parents wanted him to become a diplomat despite his interest in art and architecture. However, they agreed to bankroll an art gallery, which Dior opened in 1928 in Paris with a friend.
This was the start of Dior’s rise in the city’s creative milieu, where he befriended Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. After seven years as an art dealer, Dior retrained as a fashion illustrator, eventually landing a job as a fashion designer for Robert Piguet, and in 1941, following a year of military service, he joined the house of Lucien Lelong. Just five years later, with the backing of industrialist Marcel Boussac, the ascendant Dior established his own fashion house, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris.
Just two years after the end of World War II, the fashion crowd and the moribund haute couture industry were yearning, comme tout Paris, for security and prosperity, desperate to discard the drab, sexless, utilitarian garb imposed by wartime deprivation. They needed to dream anew.
And Dior delivered: He designed a collection for a bright, optimistic future. “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian!” exclaimed Carmel Snow, the prescient American editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, famously proclaiming, “Your dresses have such a new look.” The press ran with the description, christening Dior’s debut Spring/Summer haute couture collection the New Look. “God help those who bought before they saw Dior,” said Snow. “This changes everything.”
Dior’s collection definitively declared that opulence, luxury and femininity were in. His skirts could have 40-meter-circumference hems, and outfits could weigh up to 60 pounds. They were cut and shaped like architecture, on strong foundations that molded women and “freed them from nature,” Dior said. Rather than rationing, his ladies wanted reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, and the fashion world concurred. The debut got a standing ovation.
In the subsequent decade, Paris ruled as the undisputed fashion capital of the world, and Christian Dior reigned as its king. With the luxuriously full skirts of his New Look, suits and his drop-dead gorgeous couture dresses and ball gowns worthy of any princess, Dior gave women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of war.
On 1stDibs, find an exquisite range of vintage Christian Dior clothing, jewelry, handbags and other items.
- Jean Paul Gaultier Double-Breasted Cape-Effect Blazer Jacket or Mini DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Geneva, CHJean Paul Gaultier's creations always have this unexpected twist that make them both recognizable and unique. Made of navy wool (49%) and rayon (51%), this double-breasted blazer features a daring open back and slits along the sleeves that create an elegant cape effect. Worn as a blazer or a mini mini dress, this vintage Jean Paul Gaultier piece has peaked lapels, faux pockets and covered buttons. The lining is printed in it's iconic classic Breton stripes...Category
Early 2000s Italian Blazers
- Nina Ricci Haute Couture Polka Dot Dress & Coat EnsembleBy Nina RicciLocated in Geneva, CHWedding season is here and this early 60s Nina Ricci haute couture set is an elegant option for the ceremony. Made from refined satin silk pri...Category
1960s French Dress and Coat Ensembles
- Jean Paul Gaultier Printed Stretch-Mesh & Knit Asymetric Tattoo Dress, SS1995By Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Geneva, CHJean Paul Gaultier's tattoo-printed tops first appeared during the 1994 Spring-Summer runway show and have remained a brand icon ever since. Originally inspired by a tattoo conventio...Category
1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- Chanel By Karl Lagerfeld Runway Bow Print Shirt Dress, Spring-Summer 1996By Chanel, Karl LagerfeldLocated in Geneva, CHChanel's SS1996 collection consisted of over 190 looks and most of them became iconic and highly sought after. Made from lightweight, breathable light pink printed cotton-poplin, thi...Category
1990s French Casual Dresses
$1,400 Sale Price20% Off - Pierre Balmain (Attributed to) Haute Couture A-Line DressBy Pierre BalmainLocated in Geneva, CHLate sixties wool and silk snakeskin like dress, attributed to Pierre Balmain haute couture. Lovely A-line cut, "tie collar" and zipped back. Fully lined in refined black silk, the d...Category
1960s French Cocktail Dresses
- Jean Dessès '50s Haute Couture Satin Duchesse Princess Coat / DressLocated in Geneva, CHRare and lovely haute couture 50’s lilac satin duchesse coat / dress. Fits approx. : US 2-6 (small US 6) / FR 36-38 Measurements (taken flat) ...Category
1950s French Opera Coats
- Black Cris Cross Swiss Cotton Stretch Pique Slim DressBy Barbara TfankLocated in Los Angeles, CACriss Cross Black Swiss Stretch Pique Slim Dress fits like a glove. The dress is comfy and figure hugging. Great party dress perfect for dancing, cocktails or lunch parties. Super ea...Category
Early 2000s American Cocktail Dresses
- Emanuel Ungaro Color Block DressBy Emanuel UngaroLocated in Brooklyn, NYEmanuel Ungaro yellow & turquoise blue cotton dress. blouson bodice, fitted waist and full skirt with hip pockets. bracelet sleeves. 6 buttons at the side of the bodice, can be worn ...Category
1980s Italian Day Dresses
- Valentino 1980s Pinstripe Chain Link Belted Midi DressBy ValentinoLocated in Scottsdale, AZElevate your wardrobe with the timeless elegance of the Valentino 1980s Pinstripe Chain Link Belted Midi Dress. This exquisite dress is a true embodiment of classic sophistication an...Category
1980s Italian Day Dresses
- Chanel 2008 Chevron Knit Mini DressBy ChanelLocated in Scottsdale, AZThe Chanel 2008 Chevron Knit Mini Dress is a chic and versatile piece that reflects the iconic brand's elegance and attention to detail. This mini dress, crafted from a luxurious ble...Category
Early 2000s Italian Day Dresses
- Christian Dior by John Galliano grey checked nylon sheath dress, ss 2000By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian DiorLocated in London, GB▪ Christian Dior grey checked nylon sheath dress ▪ Designed by John Galliano ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Spring-Summer 2000 ▪ Stretch nylon/elastane blend with a grey Prince of...Category
Early 2000s French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- White & Light Blue Tricot Comme Des Garcons Layered Dress Size US SBy Comme des GarçonsLocated in New York, NYWhite and light blue pinstriped layered dress by Tricot Comme Des Garcons. Bateau neckline. Short sleeves. Button closures at front. 35" bust, 32.5" waist, 47" length, 14.5" shoulder...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Day Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
How John Galliano Caused Fashion Chaos around the Globe
The visionary designer epitomizes the pleasures and perils of irrepressible creative genius.
The Best Ways to Dress for Your Astrological Sign
Makeup and astrology expert Linda Mason dispenses fashion advice for every zodiac sign. Does your wardrobe match your horoscope?