No reviews for this post; instead I've decided to post a series of videos I found on YouTube related to Dior.
First up is a video that Acid of TFS took of the finale of Dior Haute Couture F/W 2006:
Next is the Elle.com video of the same haute couture collection posted onto YouTube by SweetRus of TFS:
Here's something a little more special - it's a television commercial of the perfume Poison by Christian Dior from the 1980s (o_O):
Another television commercial - it's the J'adore commercial done by Carmen Kass. She's absolutely fabulous - and my - she's GORGEOUS in this video! *heart*
Last but not least, the full runway video of Dior RTW S/S 2005, posted by justinleaddict of TFS - this collection, I believe, remains one of the plainest and most commercial collections done by John Galliano for Christian Dior.
That's about it. Will keep searching for more fashion-related videos on YouTube.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Dior Couture F/W 2006 Review - Relishment.
Now I will proceed to a part of Christian Dior's Fall/Winter 06.07 Haute Couture collection that appeals to me - much more than the topiary-based (read: walking lettuces) designs that I last introduced in my previous post.
If the information that this collection is also based upon the Zodiac aside from the classic French movie Les Visiteurs du Soir, I am sure that this piece above is based on the sign of Capricorn. Egotistically speaking, that's my Zodiac sign ;) Frankly, though, the above piece is dark and brooding, yet the heavy use of fur is a sign of luxury mixed in between - like many of the collections I have a reviewed before, it heavily suggests the theme of decadence.
Do permit me my little indulgences - one of my favourite models, Snejana Onopka =] That aside, I must say I love this piece because it's so ... decadent-grungy, if there's such a word. The dirty brown fabric appears to be satin - or perhaps even polyester. It's amazing because even if it's very glamorous, it looks dirty and grungy and is definitely part of the whole idea of decadence.
The draping work is just stunning. It's very simple, but the colour, the fabric, the way it is draped ... it adds a lot to what is otherwise simply a piece of fabric.
And I continue to shamelessly plug my favourite models. It's Natasha Poly in a suit that's tailored to look like that of a 17th century Renaissance soldier. The suit is clearly based on what was worn by men but here, it doesn't look overtly masculine - to the contrast, in fact, its curves suggest a femininity. And the wrist armour pieces - how could I ever forget that Galliano WANTED to feature women as knights? Also, the suit has such a powerful texture - it's grunge again, but a very pop-out-at-you sort of grunge.
I've realised how all the armour pieces so far can look so military and yet effortlessly feminine - they all use elliptical shapes to form the layers. The curves ensure that the armour pieces don't get so angular that they forget totally about the body; what's enticing and beautiful are the curves, after all, since they create a lot of movement and fluidity which are characteristic of feminine pieces. This piece above, however, doesn't need those curves - the salmon pink colour, intricate embellishments and panelled trimmings do the job of creating femininity just as well. But what creates the most beauty and fluidity is the dress itself - the draping and securing of the dress in the front looks simple - yet the dress is able to fit itself around the body such the waist is clearly outlined and no excessive fabric balloons anywhere in the outfit to ruin the flowing silhouette of the gown. The fabric is sheer, slightly translucent - it seems to capture light within itself and radiate a little bit of it in the form of a light salmon pink glow.
The first of the large finale gowns. It appears to consist of a shiny polyester fabric with another layer of black fabric below. I suspect this gown is a throwback to the first outfit on the runway for this collection - the black one with lines of "stars" running vertically downwards and Medieval and / or Renaissance motifs embellishing the front. The armour pieces return but this time complete with a helmet in the style of the Ancient Greek phalanxes (complete with feathers streaming out from the top).
The second of the large finale dresses. The helmet is no longer of a Grecian style but appears to be ... a modern military one, except in brown? More feathers snake out from the helmet. The beautiful part of this piece is how the colour transits from yellow down to a greenish blue at the bottom. I cannot fathom the dyeing work needed to get the whole colour gradient right.
The fourth of the large finale gowns. No, I haven't miscounted - I only picked those that are truly eye-catching and worth saying something about. I picked this piece because I am totally bowled over by the amazing way the large trench suit is cut and how it fans out from the waist down. The silhouette is imposing and the large collar and sleeves with the complex but very rich decorations around the edges. And the armour piece has shifted down to the right leg instead. And the military suit-gown is cut to fit the figure almost perfectly! I am completely overtaken.
I am speechless. Having just complimented the previous piece so much, I risk repeating myself.
What I can say though, is that at last, the armour pieces are no longer all over the place; here we have almost a full set. The craftsmanship of the piece is beyond description and the gold embellishment goes perfectly with the black armour. Phenomenal.
Breathtaking. The beauty and magnificence of this piece speaks for itself. The piece transits from dark blue around the décolleté area down to a very light sky blue around the edge of the dress. The message is simple: it's dawn, and the ultimate fashion fantasy of the stars and constellations has ended.
Overall, a majority of the pieces in this collection were amazing, the details were meticulously done and the craftsmanship was beyond professional. The only qualm I have about the whole collection is that it's a little too eclectic, making it difficult to reconcile any differences.
If the information that this collection is also based upon the Zodiac aside from the classic French movie Les Visiteurs du Soir, I am sure that this piece above is based on the sign of Capricorn. Egotistically speaking, that's my Zodiac sign ;) Frankly, though, the above piece is dark and brooding, yet the heavy use of fur is a sign of luxury mixed in between - like many of the collections I have a reviewed before, it heavily suggests the theme of decadence.
Do permit me my little indulgences - one of my favourite models, Snejana Onopka =] That aside, I must say I love this piece because it's so ... decadent-grungy, if there's such a word. The dirty brown fabric appears to be satin - or perhaps even polyester. It's amazing because even if it's very glamorous, it looks dirty and grungy and is definitely part of the whole idea of decadence.
The draping work is just stunning. It's very simple, but the colour, the fabric, the way it is draped ... it adds a lot to what is otherwise simply a piece of fabric.
And I continue to shamelessly plug my favourite models. It's Natasha Poly in a suit that's tailored to look like that of a 17th century Renaissance soldier. The suit is clearly based on what was worn by men but here, it doesn't look overtly masculine - to the contrast, in fact, its curves suggest a femininity. And the wrist armour pieces - how could I ever forget that Galliano WANTED to feature women as knights? Also, the suit has such a powerful texture - it's grunge again, but a very pop-out-at-you sort of grunge.
I've realised how all the armour pieces so far can look so military and yet effortlessly feminine - they all use elliptical shapes to form the layers. The curves ensure that the armour pieces don't get so angular that they forget totally about the body; what's enticing and beautiful are the curves, after all, since they create a lot of movement and fluidity which are characteristic of feminine pieces. This piece above, however, doesn't need those curves - the salmon pink colour, intricate embellishments and panelled trimmings do the job of creating femininity just as well. But what creates the most beauty and fluidity is the dress itself - the draping and securing of the dress in the front looks simple - yet the dress is able to fit itself around the body such the waist is clearly outlined and no excessive fabric balloons anywhere in the outfit to ruin the flowing silhouette of the gown. The fabric is sheer, slightly translucent - it seems to capture light within itself and radiate a little bit of it in the form of a light salmon pink glow.
The first of the large finale gowns. It appears to consist of a shiny polyester fabric with another layer of black fabric below. I suspect this gown is a throwback to the first outfit on the runway for this collection - the black one with lines of "stars" running vertically downwards and Medieval and / or Renaissance motifs embellishing the front. The armour pieces return but this time complete with a helmet in the style of the Ancient Greek phalanxes (complete with feathers streaming out from the top).
The second of the large finale dresses. The helmet is no longer of a Grecian style but appears to be ... a modern military one, except in brown? More feathers snake out from the helmet. The beautiful part of this piece is how the colour transits from yellow down to a greenish blue at the bottom. I cannot fathom the dyeing work needed to get the whole colour gradient right.
The fourth of the large finale gowns. No, I haven't miscounted - I only picked those that are truly eye-catching and worth saying something about. I picked this piece because I am totally bowled over by the amazing way the large trench suit is cut and how it fans out from the waist down. The silhouette is imposing and the large collar and sleeves with the complex but very rich decorations around the edges. And the armour piece has shifted down to the right leg instead. And the military suit-gown is cut to fit the figure almost perfectly! I am completely overtaken.
I am speechless. Having just complimented the previous piece so much, I risk repeating myself.
What I can say though, is that at last, the armour pieces are no longer all over the place; here we have almost a full set. The craftsmanship of the piece is beyond description and the gold embellishment goes perfectly with the black armour. Phenomenal.
Breathtaking. The beauty and magnificence of this piece speaks for itself. The piece transits from dark blue around the décolleté area down to a very light sky blue around the edge of the dress. The message is simple: it's dawn, and the ultimate fashion fantasy of the stars and constellations has ended.
Overall, a majority of the pieces in this collection were amazing, the details were meticulously done and the craftsmanship was beyond professional. The only qualm I have about the whole collection is that it's a little too eclectic, making it difficult to reconcile any differences.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Dior Couture F/W 2006 Review - Part I: Excitement!
Couture season's here again - and how can it pass without me ranting about Dior? Permit me to present a run-down of Christian Dior Haute Couture F/W 06.07 Paris.
The runway for this season's show appears to be a tiled stone path while the backdrop and background props seem to be a hedge labyrinth in a garden somewhere. The set suggests "the gardens of Versailles", or perhaps a European idyll - possibly even a European fantasy world. The opening outfit certainly seems to agree - at least with the point of fantasy. It features an elaborate crystal headdress that hangs around the sides of the head like an Egyptian headdress while the long black gown is embellished with faint vertical dotted lines which look like stars haphazardly arranged across the night sky while medieval and art nouveau motifs front the piece. The large armour piece on the right shoulder suggests knights - of course, Lisa Armstrong of The Times (timesonline.co.uk) did state that:
The notes for Dior’s show yesterday revealed that John Galliano, Dior’s creative director, had been inspired by a late-night viewing of Les Visiteurs du Soir, a classic wartime French film set in the 15th century. Women dressed as knights, jousters and hedges grappled with stupendous trains, corsets, wimples, heraldic headwear and skirts comprised of whorls of chiffon that quite miraculously resembled moving bits of topiary.
(Above reference taken from this post on TheFashionSpot.com)
Aha, now we know. We can expect more of these knightly women, then. And in case you're wondering, yes, Galliano DID use the "moving bits of topiary" idea. But before we go there (I'm reluctant to do so hahaha), let's see some of the next few outfits first:
The second outfit of this collection. I am very very blown away by the gold embroidery over the sheer pale gold dress - it's luxurious, glamorous yet elegant and beautiful at the same time. And the armour just fails to take away the outfit's femininity - in fact, the armour piece adds an edge to it. And the gold headdress is exotic.
Bleh. The first of the outfits that I do not like. This is part of what I referred to on TFS as the "red-and-black-dying-remains-of-last-season's-couture-outfits" - in other words, it's like the red-and-black outfits from last season's couture isn't willing to go away and is struggling to make a reappearance in this collection - unfortunately, they've failed very badly. Aside from the clown-ish makeup, the headwear is just incomprehensible - is that supposed to be a bat, or a deformed bow ... ? And I'm sure the dress could be a little less angular, no ... ?
I'm still not very keen on the headwear or the makeup and the red streaking over the black dress looks very rough but I love the creative way Galliano has chosen to play with the red belts - they're tied around the body in a way that pulls the top close to the body at where the curves are. Last season's silhouettes had nipped waists formed from large belts - this season, though, the waist is no longer the point of focus but rather ... rather ... hmm it seems too much is going on in the collection for one to be able to determine one or two definite points of focus.
Another theme of clothing appears to have been moved into - no more glamour or brooding darkness - instead, we have an exquisite and executive professionalism. It's the office lady with a couture fantasy twist. The combination of blue and gold is commendable and the meticulous detail of the gold patterns in the front is just stunning. The cut of the suit accents the waist to suggest feminity - in this respect, it reminds me of the suits tailored by Cristobal Balenciaga that similarly place emphasis on the waist to create a strong femininity.
One of the pieces from the "lobster" set. To be frank, I'm not very thrilled by this - I don't like the fact that it's salmon pink or that there's this weird lobster tail "growing out" from the head but I must admit the layering and pleating work done on this outfit is impressive.
The first of the topiary ideas. The idea is interesting, but the manifestation isn't, unfortunately. The makeup is way too ghastly and the yellow-and-purple striped top is just too ... circus-y. And the large puff of green creates an awkward, clumsy silhouette which just isn't too pleasing. The whole collection is so elaborate that it borders on kitsch - most of the collection successfully stays on the pleasant and couture side, but this one above steps straight into the crazy, psychedelic world of kitsch.
No no no no no! The puffy green part just causes the whole silhouette to go wonky and the trumpets with flags hanging down from them just look out-of-place. And Vlada is made to look painfully short because of the weird silhouette.
Nope. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
But let's be fair - I'm sure the green parts took a lot of patience and skill to make, especially the first one. The shape and neat arrangement of the curls probably took ages to be perfected.
It's already past midnight so I'm off to bed. Will continue this review later.
The runway for this season's show appears to be a tiled stone path while the backdrop and background props seem to be a hedge labyrinth in a garden somewhere. The set suggests "the gardens of Versailles", or perhaps a European idyll - possibly even a European fantasy world. The opening outfit certainly seems to agree - at least with the point of fantasy. It features an elaborate crystal headdress that hangs around the sides of the head like an Egyptian headdress while the long black gown is embellished with faint vertical dotted lines which look like stars haphazardly arranged across the night sky while medieval and art nouveau motifs front the piece. The large armour piece on the right shoulder suggests knights - of course, Lisa Armstrong of The Times (timesonline.co.uk) did state that:
The notes for Dior’s show yesterday revealed that John Galliano, Dior’s creative director, had been inspired by a late-night viewing of Les Visiteurs du Soir, a classic wartime French film set in the 15th century. Women dressed as knights, jousters and hedges grappled with stupendous trains, corsets, wimples, heraldic headwear and skirts comprised of whorls of chiffon that quite miraculously resembled moving bits of topiary.
(Above reference taken from this post on TheFashionSpot.com)
Aha, now we know. We can expect more of these knightly women, then. And in case you're wondering, yes, Galliano DID use the "moving bits of topiary" idea. But before we go there (I'm reluctant to do so hahaha), let's see some of the next few outfits first:
The second outfit of this collection. I am very very blown away by the gold embroidery over the sheer pale gold dress - it's luxurious, glamorous yet elegant and beautiful at the same time. And the armour just fails to take away the outfit's femininity - in fact, the armour piece adds an edge to it. And the gold headdress is exotic.
Bleh. The first of the outfits that I do not like. This is part of what I referred to on TFS as the "red-and-black-dying-remains-of-last-season's-couture-outfits" - in other words, it's like the red-and-black outfits from last season's couture isn't willing to go away and is struggling to make a reappearance in this collection - unfortunately, they've failed very badly. Aside from the clown-ish makeup, the headwear is just incomprehensible - is that supposed to be a bat, or a deformed bow ... ? And I'm sure the dress could be a little less angular, no ... ?
I'm still not very keen on the headwear or the makeup and the red streaking over the black dress looks very rough but I love the creative way Galliano has chosen to play with the red belts - they're tied around the body in a way that pulls the top close to the body at where the curves are. Last season's silhouettes had nipped waists formed from large belts - this season, though, the waist is no longer the point of focus but rather ... rather ... hmm it seems too much is going on in the collection for one to be able to determine one or two definite points of focus.
Another theme of clothing appears to have been moved into - no more glamour or brooding darkness - instead, we have an exquisite and executive professionalism. It's the office lady with a couture fantasy twist. The combination of blue and gold is commendable and the meticulous detail of the gold patterns in the front is just stunning. The cut of the suit accents the waist to suggest feminity - in this respect, it reminds me of the suits tailored by Cristobal Balenciaga that similarly place emphasis on the waist to create a strong femininity.
One of the pieces from the "lobster" set. To be frank, I'm not very thrilled by this - I don't like the fact that it's salmon pink or that there's this weird lobster tail "growing out" from the head but I must admit the layering and pleating work done on this outfit is impressive.
The first of the topiary ideas. The idea is interesting, but the manifestation isn't, unfortunately. The makeup is way too ghastly and the yellow-and-purple striped top is just too ... circus-y. And the large puff of green creates an awkward, clumsy silhouette which just isn't too pleasing. The whole collection is so elaborate that it borders on kitsch - most of the collection successfully stays on the pleasant and couture side, but this one above steps straight into the crazy, psychedelic world of kitsch.
No no no no no! The puffy green part just causes the whole silhouette to go wonky and the trumpets with flags hanging down from them just look out-of-place. And Vlada is made to look painfully short because of the weird silhouette.
Nope. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
But let's be fair - I'm sure the green parts took a lot of patience and skill to make, especially the first one. The shape and neat arrangement of the curls probably took ages to be perfected.
It's already past midnight so I'm off to bed. Will continue this review later.
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