Christian Dior Spring 2012 Haute Couture an Exercise in “Sheer” Boredom
Edited by Lester Brathwaite
Bill Gaytten and the hardworking hands of the Christian Dior atelier returned this haute couture season with a much more subdued collection than last fall’s largely-derided offering. Trading in silly headpieces and deafeningly loud prints for cleaner silhouettes and a sedate color palette of largely whites, greys and blacks, the aesthetic pendulum swung rather violently. The storied house has also adopted the industry-wide obsession with sheer panels and overlays, already brought to its perfect zenith by Givenchy seasons ago. Still present, however, was the classic Dior New Look shape of a cinched waist and a full skirt. While this haute couture collection was a deliberately safer outing for the still-creative-director-less Dior, it understandably and inevitably came off more than just a little boring. Gaytten and co. have yet to strike the right balance between the house’s glorious past and the fantastical places John Galliano took it during his legendary reign. But at least they got one thing right: Karlie Kloss was back opening the show. If you want a strong start, there’s no better hoofer in the game. Check out some highlights — and a few lowlights — from Christian Dior’s spring 2012 haute couture show after the jump!
