Southern Protocol

John Galliano, the current mastermind extraordinaire at one of the world’s most adored fashion houses (Dior, dah-ling!), did not disappoint during his Paris Haute Couture show. Never one to send inconspicuous models down the runway, this season, taking inspiration from Mr. Dior’s iconic 1953 “Tulip Collection,” he had all of his models made up to look like, well, tulips. Abstractly speaking.

Each model stomped down the runway with an impressive amount of florist cellophane wrapped around her head (courtesy of London milliner Stephen Jones), and enough makeup underneath to have a really cool effect – it was somehow reminiscent of the Alice in Wonderland flowers that come to life in the original Disney cartoon.

Getting past the models’ aesthetics, the clothes were stunning as always, and they all seemed alive with florals. Tiny waists and ballooned skirts that still hit around the knee were accented with detailed jackets and hydrangea adornments. It was excess and texture at its best – especially with the breathtaking ball gowns that made an appearance at the show’s closing… I literally cannot stop thinking of them, they’re like a dream.

The looks weren’t exactly the most flattering (all that texture is bound to take its toll!), and for all you realists out there who are rolling your eyes at the “lack of wearability”: it’s not supposed to be wearable, it’s supposed to be art. And this collection was art at its absolute finest.

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Tags: 1953, 2010, 2011, art, beautiful, clothing, dior, fashion, fashion week, haute couture, john galliano, paris, style.com