THREAD GALLERY

A John Galliano spencer jacket and oversized shirt pair, fall-winter 1985 'The Ludic Games'. These incredibly rare and early garments, worn together, are from Galliano's first runway show—his third collection. The collection inspired by Angela Carter’s 1984 novel, Nights at the Circus, juxtaposed London’s East End costermongers with rebellious farmers from the English countryside. The spencer jacket is cut bust-length and wide over the shoulders, designed by Galliano to be worn inside out and upside down. Made from navy jumbo needlecord it features Galliano’s signature broad, irregularly-notched lapels and elongated sleeves—a staple in his designs from this era. The definitive feature of this jacket however, are the two hanging wine corks wrapped in twine, used as a decorative fastener. On the backside, a striped flannelette fabric is used, symbolising the image of a country mother taking her children to school whilst still in her pyjamas. The oversized shirt was a main feature of this collection, worn on its own as well as underneath the spencer jackets. This particular shirt is made of flannelette in two tones, light blue and beige. It features an asymmetrical design with the placket turning diagonally three buttons down at the waist. Seams at the backside of the garment also follow this direction creating a triangular pointed pocket on the left hip. This technique was reused in skirts for Galliano’s first collection at Christian Dior in 1997. Both garments feature the iconic Galliano '1' label only found in garments from this period. Due to their rarity, pieces featuring this label are often only found in museum collections. Jackets of this style feature in the following: John Galliano, The Ludic Game, catwalk invitation, 1985 The Face, June, London, 1985, p.3 Kerry Taylor...

A Vivienne Westwood “Grand Hotel” T-shirt, Spring-Summer 1993. Similar to her portrait printed garments debuted in Autumn-Winter 1990, the painting ‘Hercules and Omphale’ by Francois Boucher (c. 1732-1734) is featured across the entirety of the garment.

Alexander McQueen 'It's a Jungle Out There' men's blue pinstripe cargo trousers, fall-winter 1997. Worn in look 24, this garment is a rare example of McQueen's early menswear and Saville Row training. These skills learned during his apprenticeship are evident in the trouser's pleated front, button fly, and the immaculate fit of the garment...

Gucci by Tom Ford men's tan leather motorcycle pants, fall-winter 2000. Shown in both the men's and women's runway shows of this season, these pa...

A Vivienne Westwood “Grand Hotel” tie, Spring-Summer 1993. Similar to her portrait printed garments debuted in Autumn-Winter 1990, the painting ‘Hercules and Omphale’ by Francois Boucher (c. 1732-1734) is featured across the entirety of the garment.

A Matthew Barney Cremaster 2 long sleeve t-shirt, circa 1999. This incredibly rare t-shirt was made in a limited edition for the 'Cremaster 2: The Drones' Exposition' film exhibit at...

A Matthew Barney Cremaster Cycle cap, circa 2002. This incredibly rare hat was made in a limited edition for The Cremaster Cycle (1994-2002) e...

A John Galliano pinstripe vest, spring-summer 1986 'Fallen Angels'. This incredibly rare and early garment is from Galliano's second runway show—his fourth collection. Featuring a rounded collar and mini lapel, the standout feature of this vest is the trio of swirling 'Fimo' plasticene buttons crafted by artist Dave Baby. Reflecting Galliano's student work experience with Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter...

A Christian Dior by John Galliano ‘’Dior’s Little Sweetheart Pin-Ups” navy skirt, fall-winter 1997. Crafted from a luxurious silk brocade, this skirt is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of the Christian Dior atelier. Black floral lace vents are nestled beneath the skirt's pleats, revealing their intricacy as the garment...

A John Galliano mink and cashmere cropped trench coat, fall-winter 1997 ‘Suzy Sphinx’. This elegant hip length coat is crafted from black cashmere that i...

A Dolce & Gabbana lace-up long sleeve top, Fall-Winter 2003. This garment subverts edgy and gothic details to create a stylistic and glamorous garment. Crafted from the finest matte ...

This John Galliano powder blue skirt suit is from his Spring-Summer 1999 collection. The shimmery floral brocade fabric of the suit is incredibly elegant. The jacket is made of the ...