Dior

PARIS, October 3, 2006 - By the time the John Galliano appeared in a double breasted dove-gray suit, topped by a black stetson, at the Dior show on Tuesday evening, fashion editors were left scratching their collective heads as how best to capture in print what had just traversed the catwalk. Some came to the conclusion that commercial forces were driving John Galliano to tone down his imagination, others surmised that he might have finally run out of steam. Whichever the case may be, the collection he showed for spring/summer 2007 was notable for it's restraint, and for it's "wear ability".

When the consumer tires of streamline gray suits - some with slashes cut into the sleeves and subtle damask-like motifs imprinted on jackets - there will be any number of toga-like billowing evening dresses to fill up the void. The artistic side of the collection was distilled into a series of cocktail dresses notable for their impeccable draping. One chartreuse strapless version could have served as a prototype for contemporary elegance.

Virtually all of it will be hanging in Dior boutiques worldwide by the time the after-Christmas sales have cleared out the fall line.

Dior without the glitz though, just isn't Dior.