Christian Dior by John Galliano denim print patchwork leather pant suit, fw 2001
View Similar Items
Christian Dior by John Galliano denim print patchwork leather pant suit, fw 2001
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: FR 40 - UK 12 - US 8 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU140210158992
John Galliano for Christian Dior
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 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 collectible and 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. In just eight weeks, Galliano produced 50 looks for Dior Haute Couture’s brilliant Spring/Summer 1997 Maasai collection and would ultimately design a mind-boggling eight collections a year for the storied French fashion house until 2011. Today, Galliano is the creative director of Maison Margiela.
Shop vintage and contemporary John Galliano for Christian Dior evening dresses and gowns, shoes, handbags 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.
- Vivienne Westwood unisex striped cotton bondage 3 piece pant suit, ss 1994By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood unisex blue and white striped cotton 'Cafe Society' 3 piece pant suit. Singled breasted blazer jacket with embroidered orb on patch pocket, slim fit pants with bond...Category
1990s British Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Azzedine Alaia charcoal grey molten wool trouser suit, fw 1987By Azzedine AlaïaLocated in London, GBPresenting an exquisite Azzedine Alaia charcoal grey molten wool trouser suit, a true masterpiece from the autumn-winter 1987 collection. This suit exemplifies the designer's impecca...Category
1980s Italian Trouser Pant Suits
- Ocimar Versolato haute couture light grey wool evening pant suit, fw 1998By Ocimar VersolatoLocated in London, GBPresenting a rare and exceptional piece from Ocimar Versolato's Autumn-Winter 1998 haute couture collection, the evening wool pant suit, a true embodi...Category
1990s French Trouser Pant Suits
- Vivienne Westwood Mens 'Cut, Slash and Pull' denim suit, ss 1991By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBIntroducing an iconic archival piece from Vivienne Westwood Men's 'Cut, Slash and Pull' Spring-Summer 1991 collection. This ensemble showcases the designer's revolutionary approach t...Category
1990s British Trouser Pant Suits
- John Galliano teal linen jacket and draped skirt suit, ss 1999By John GallianoLocated in London, GBIntroducing a captivating John Galliano skirt suit, a true representation of elegance from the spring-summer 1999 collection. This suit showcases the designer's impeccable tailoring and innovative design. Constructed in a stunning teal-colored linen, the suit exudes elegance and sophistication, capturing the essence of timeless style. The high waist draped skirt features boning, creating a flattering and sculpted silhouette, reflecting John Galliano's penchant for dramatic and artistic designs. The fitted jacket complements the skirt beautifully, with its accentuated waist and large draped...Category
1990s French Skirt Suits
- Vintage green and white houndstooth wool jumpsuit, c. 1960sLocated in London, GBPresenting a stylish green and white houndstooth wool jumpsuit, a timeless treasure dating back to the chic 1960s era. This jumpsuit exudes elegance and sophistication, showcasing th...Category
1960s Unknown Jumpsuits
- CHANEL boutique Suit white cotton jacket and skirt late 80sBy Chanel BoutiqueLocated in Rubiera, REChanel Boutique vintage suit from the late 80s White piqué cotton Double-breasted jacket with buttons covered in the same fabric. Incrustations of sequins and lace flowers. Silk lin...Category
1980s French Skirt Suits
- Jean Paul Gaultier Soleil S/S 2002 Vintage "Portraits" Wrap DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Berlin, DEJean Paul Gaultier Soleil S/S 2002 Vintage Pop art "Portraits" Mesh Madi Wrap Backless Dress SHIPPING FROM BERLIN The creme del la creme of my extensive collection. The most covet...Category
1990s European Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Vintage White Oversized Opera CoatLocated in Scottsdale, AZAdd a little drama to your wardrobe with our incredible vintage opera coat! You don't need to be headed to the opera to enjoy a piece as amazing as ...Category
1960s American Opera Coats
- Chanel 1980's Rare Reversible Skirt SetBy ChanelLocated in Scottsdale, AZFeel cool and collected with this 80's era Chanel skirt set! This two-in-one ensemble is completely reversible for a whole new look making this Chanel...Category
1980s Italian Skirt Suits
- Issey Miyake Pleated Two Layer White with Black Contrast Pant SuitBy Issey MiyakeLocated in Oakland, CAIssey Miyake pleated jacket with pants. Two layer fabric: semi-sheer off-white over black. Top features hidden 5 button closures, chest ...Category
Early 2000s Japanese Trouser Pant Suits
- Escada White Cotton Stretch Denim Floral Embroidered Detail Flared Trousers MBy EscadaLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2We have our eyes on this pair from Escada as it is very fashionable. The white jeans are detailed with floral embroidery and come made from stretch denim in a flared style. You can p...Category
2010s German Trouser Pant Suits
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.
This Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Ensemble Is Part Zsa Zsa Gabor, Part ‘Blade Runner’
As Burton steps away from the brand, it’s a fitting time to revisit one of her visionary designs.