Kerry Taylor - Galliano: Spectacular Fashion

A portrait of John Galliano from 1985 by Tom Mannion dressed in Ludic Game pieces.

acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to the lecturers and archivists at Central Saint Martins: Howard Tangye, Bobby Hillson, Anna Buruma and Alistair ONeill. Thanks also to collectors and makers who allowed access to their personal archives Steven Philip, Hamish Bowles, Iain R. Webb, Matthew Greer, Slim Barrett and Mark Walsh.

I am indebted to those who shared their memories of working/collaborating with John Galliano: Johann Brun, Paul Frecker, Gail Downey, Tom Mannion, Neil Mersh, Deborah Andrews, Mark Mattock, Vanessa Newman, William Casey, Bouke de Vries, Dovanna Pagowski, William Casey, Patrick Cox, Lorraine Piggott, Sue Bottjer, Karen Crichton, Ian Bibby, Luiven Rivas-Sanchez, Patricia Belford, Hannah Wood-house, Stephen Jones, Limpet Barron OConnor, Maria Lemos, Julie Verhoeven, Danda Jaroljmek, Lars Nilsson, Katell le Bourhis, and the late Michael Howells.

Special thanks to Olivier Bialobos, Jrme Gautier, Philippe Le Moult and Dior Hritage for allowing me access to their archives in particular, Soizic Pfaff and Solne Aural-Lamy. Special thanks also to Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, Tara Tierney and Felicia Scicluna for providing access to the Runway Show Collection and archives of Galliano (19852010) and Dior (19972010) catwalk shows, interviews and backstage footage. Thanks to the Givenchy archive, and to Brett Croft at Cond Nast for allowing access to the Vogue archive.

I am particularly grateful for the access to the Bloomsbury Fashion Photography Archive, which was invaluable, as was the encouragement and support of my Bloomsbury editors Lee Ripley and Frances Arnold. Thank you to Alex Dives who originally suggested me for this project.

This book would never have got off the ground without the support of my colleagues Kate Osborn and Lucy Bishop; research assistants Waleria Dorogova and Alex Baddeley; and Olga Kott for studio photography.

Thank you also to museums, archivists, dealers and auction rooms who kindly shared images with me: Jorge Yarur at Museo de la Moda, Brigitte Pellereau at Patrimoine John Galliano, Marilyn Glass, Resurrection Vintage Archive, Roger Vale and Brian Purdy, Cheryl Vick/MRS Couture, Cris Consignment, Gregory Chester, Doyle, Sothebys, and Tennants Auctioneers.

Final thanks to my husband Paul Mack for his patience and forbearance whilst I switched off from daily life and became engrossed in the creative genius of John Galliano.

Introduction: The Genius of John Galliano

There is something special about a Galliano garment it could be the shape of a lapel, the curve of a sleeve, the play with proportions or the combination of unusual fabrics.

It was at Dior that Galliano was given free reign to indulge his fantasies and ideas, which resulted in some of the most spectacular clothing ever to grace the Paris catwalks. Galliano is something of an alchemist, taking fabrics and transforming them into the most magical, romantic or cutting-edge fashions.

Not only were the clothes spectacular so were the shows. Weeks in advance, curiosity was piqued, the scene set and the fashion-fable behind the collection narrated when an intriguing invitation dropped through the mailbox. These included Victorian books with handwritten notes, tea-stained treasure maps, records, ballet slippers with tin whistles, Russian dolls and rusty keys with antiquated script tags.

The happenings began with his degree show as his friends stormed up and down the St Martins catwalks dressed as Incroyables charging the barricades. Over the decades there were to be many great fashion moments, including Kate Moss, memorable as his Princess Lucretia fleeing imaginary wolves in a large swaying crinoline; the intimate mise-en-scne created for his exquisite Black collection with just eighteen looks, where the models snaked through Sao Schlumbergers eighteenth-century htel particulier in borrowed diamonds; the outrageous lavishness of the Diorient Express, which included a real steam train, acres of orange sand and Moroccan tents; and the romantic beauty of A Poetic Tribute to the Marchesa Casati, staged at the Opra Garnier, with a finale of fluttering paper butterflies cascading from the gilded ceilings.

Over the years I have been frustrated at the lack of accurate information about this important and influential designer, despite the fact that he was made British Fashion Designer of the year four times, was awarded a CBE and also the Lgion dHonneur. In the past, Gallianos early years (pre-internet) were often mis-catalogued even by prestigious museums. It became my mission to research each collection, to examine original garments where possible, note the key design features and record the changes in labelling with the passage of time. I hope this finished work will be of aid to collectors, museums and Galliano fans alike.