Held in the Opera Comique with its gold leaf ceiling, red velvet interior and gilt chairs, the theatre of John Galliano was housed to perfection.
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In keeping with a matinee performance, there was a pre-show announcement on the tannoy asking everyone to take their seats “the show is about to start”. And boy what a show.
If ever there is an assignment to stir the actress within a model, it’s a Galliano show and the girls – from Coco Rocha to Yasmin Le Bon – acted up a melodrama to rival the Victorian stage - flouncing, interacting with the audience and generally making it very hard for the bank of photographers to take a straight picture.
Galliano took his inspiration from Maria Lani, muse to some of the greatest artists of her day including Amedeo Modigliani, whose portrait adorned the invite to the show. Crystal and gold encrusted gowns, butterfly and bird appliqué on weightless gauze and layers of embroidery were typically extravagant but somehow this show was elevated as one of his greats.
