Christian Dior by John Galliano silk floral brocade puffer gillet, fw 1998
View Similar Items
Christian Dior by John Galliano silk floral brocade puffer gillet, fw 1998
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: FR 38 - UK 10 - US 6 (EU)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU14029610952
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 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.
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 evening 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.
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld cream mohair wool coat and dress ensemble, fw 1998By Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld for ChanelLocated in London, GB▪ Chanel cream mohair wool coat and dress ensemble ▪ Designed by Karl Lagerfeld ▪ Oversized open-front coat with matching belt ▪ Large notched lapels ▪ Built-in shoulder pads ▪ ...Category
1990s French Coats and Outerwear
- Alexander McQueen cream molten wool coat with gold embroidery, fw 2001By Alexander McQueenLocated in London, GBPresenting an impeccably tailored Alexander McQueen cream coat from the fall-winter 2001 collection. This coat is a true testament to the brand's commitment to luxury and craftsmanship. Constructed in a sumptuous cream molten wool, the coat exudes elegance and sophistication. The embroidered gold designs on the collar add a touch of opulence and artistry to the ensemble, elevating its overall design. Hidden button fastenings ensure a clean and sleek look, while the two front flap pockets add both functionality and style. A box pleat at the back enhances the coat's silhouette, creating a captivating and dynamic effect. Epaulettes on the shoulder add a touch of military-inspired flair, reflecting Alexander McQueen's penchant for juxtaposing elements in his designs. Prepare to embrace the allure of this Alexander McQueen tailored...Category
1990s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Givenchy by Alexander McQueen beige angora wool and shearling coat, c. 1999-2001By Alexander McQueen, GivenchyLocated in London, GB▪ Givenchy beige maxi coat ▪ Designed by Alexander McQueen ▪ Large shearling collar and cuffs ▪ Double breasted ▪ Center pleat to the back ▪ 65% An...Category
1990s French Coats and Outerwear
- Paul Daunay Couture silk and wool dress and coat ensemble, c. 1952-57By Paul DaunayLocated in London, GBPresenting an exquisite and exceptionally rare Paul Daunay couture fall daytime ensemble, a true gem hailing from the era of circa 1952-57. This ensemble is a stunning showcase of ar...Category
1950s French Day Dresses
- Dolce & Gabbana blue and black tie-dyed fur maxi coat, fw 1999By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in London, GB▪ Dolce & Gabbana blue and black tie-dyed maxi coat ▪ Sheared rabbit fur ▪ Wide cropped sleeves ▪ Snap button closures ▪ IT 40 - FR 36 - UK 8 - US 4 ▪ Fall-Winter 1999Category
1990s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Men's Yohji Yamamoto grey wool and silk polkadot evening robe, fw 2009By Yohji YamamotoLocated in London, GB▪ Yohji Yamamoto Pour Homme charcoal grey evening robe ▪ 80% Wool, 20% Silk ▪ Snap button closures ▪ Polkadot belt and pockets ▪ 100% Silk lining ▪ J...Category
Early 2000s Coats and Outerwear
- 1992 Gianni Versace 'Malevich' inspired unisex bomber jacketBy Gianni VersaceLocated in CULEMBORG, GEA rare and important '90s Gianni Versace ‘Malevich’ inspired bomber jacket – designed for the men's 1992 Spring/Summer Collection – but with its cheerful, ...Category
1990s Italian Bomber Jackets
- Givenchy, Beige long wool coatBy GivenchyLocated in AMSTERDAM, NLGivenchy, Beige long wool coat. The item is in very good condition. • CONDITION: very good condition • SIZE: FR36 - XS • MEASUREMENTS: length 118 cm, width 48 cm, waist 45 cm, s...Category
2010s Coats
- Roberto Cavalli F/W 2000 Beige croc-embossed leather jacketBy Roberto CavalliLocated in Milano, IT- Roberto Cavalli beige croc-embossed leather jacket - Sold by Skof.Archive - Fitted to the body - Frontal button closure - Fall-Winter 2000 - Made in Italy Condition: Excellent ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Verheyen London Mink Fur Trimmed Cashmere Scarf in Brown LeopardBy Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBVerheyen London Mink Fur Trimmed Cashmere Scarf in Brown Leopard Verheyen London’s shawl is spun from the finest Scottish woven cashmere and finished with the most exquisite dyed mink. Its warmth envelopes you with luxury, perfect for travel and comfort wherever you are. PRODUCT DETAILS Verheyen London Cashmere Mink Trimmed Shawl Natural Demi-Buff Mink...Category
2010s Scottish Scarves
$1,239 Sale Price34% Off - Ralph Lauren Beige Silk Button Front Lightweight Coat SBy Ralph LaurenLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Ralph Lauren never fails to impress and this lightweight coat is no exception! The beige coat is made of 100% silk and features a double-breasted silhouette with front button fasteni...Category
2010s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Red Valentino Beige Cotton Twill Eyelet Embroidered Ruffled Double Breasted CoatBy REDValentinoLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Chic, contemporary and very modern, this Red Valentino coat definitely needs to be on your wishlist! The beige creation is made of 100% cotton and features a double-breasted silhouet...Category
2010s Italian Coats
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.