John Galliano Spring / Summer 2008 Fashion Collection

John Galliano is one of the busiest fashion designers in the world. Between his own collections and those he does for Dior, he produces six couture and ready to wear collections per year, and one mid-season range. And Galliano is never afraid to take his inspiration from strange sources. For one memorable couture collection, he took his inspiration from homeless people that he ran past each morning. Though couture is supposed to be extremely finished in appearance, he wanted to do what he called "turning it inside out."

John Galliano's latest collection borrows heavily from the 20's and 30's. There are flapper dresses, high waist, two piece swimsuits, and heavy fur coats that seem like they would be at home in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. But there is something decidedly modern about all of the pieces. Although ruffles are considered "out of style", Galliano decides that he will use them in any way he wants. The designs with ruffles are some of the best in the collection, and despite being "out of fashion" he manages to create a collection that will definitely stand the test of time. But he does not completely thumb his nose at the latest trends. Instead, he uses what he wants, and leaves the rest alone. On one flapper dress, there are two large rosettes. These are very large in size, and make the dress appear very voluminous. This was not typical of flapper dresses, however it is the fashion currently. Puffy, large, voluminous styles are in, and this is his contribution. It works very well, and instead of being a flapper reproduction, it becomes a modern flapper dress. There is another dress that has circles that encircle the bustline, and arch around the skirt portion. These add a lot of detail, and make for a much more interesting piece, without changing the style of the dress.