John Galliano's show at Paris Fashion Week did not have an auspicious start. Hilary Alexander of The Telegraph described the location of the show: "Firstly, he appeared to have been pushed into using the ghastly Halle Freyssinet as a location; no one in their right mind would willingly choose to show in this unlovely, dank, cold warehouse, near an underpass, in the 13th arrondissement, a good 30-40 minutes drive from the centre of town." But it only got worse after that. It was pouring rain, late at night and everyone was very grumpy at the long wait in the rain to get into the venue.
A furious Carine Roitfeld, editor of French Vogue, was overheard blasting a clueless underling: "I wait all this time in the rain and you can't even give me a glass of water". Yet somehow, while the editors were drenched Katy Perry, Russell Brand and Prince all arrived looking perfectly dry and relaxed. The ceiling leaked, so some guests got dripped on which no doubt did not improve their moods.
The show started late, which didn't help matters. But when it finally did start it was worth the hassle. The premise was 1940s Hollywood glamour. Red lights and bubbles which popped into puffs of smoke made for an interesting special effect. The models had dark, beestung lips, thin eyebrows and dark, dramatic eye makeup which complemented the chiffon dresses, which were usually paired with fitted jackets or trench coats. There was lots of sparkle and embellishment, lovely bias cut gowns, and plenty of color. Take a look:
