Couture-riffic ... Christian Dior F/W08 Haute Couture

Art meets art is possibly the best phrase to describe Dior Haute Couture show recently as Dior's resident art genius and fashion wunderkind John Galliano staged his latest haute couture collection to the anticipating jetsetting fashion-forward lots.

Held in the joy of Parisian summer, Musée Rodin played host to a string of high-profile celebrities, fashion editors, and avid couture fans from all over the world, as well as Dior Haute Couture 2008 presentation for fall/winter.

Staged within a tent specially set up by Dior within the grounds of the celebrated yet hallowed art museum, Galliano once again created his brand of revolution by showcasing what he happily labelled as the fresh couture.

Prior to the start of the show, guests gathered in front of the tent and scattered across the grounds mingling and waiting for the show to start.

Though Mischa Barton and Dior’s leading lady du jour, Charlize Theron were MIA, the show was graced by the presence of many beautiful people including R&B star Janet Jackson and her fiancée, Claudia Schiffer, Marisa Berenson, and my beloved Camelia and Magie, all impeccably dressed!

Known for her ultimate sense of style, Camelia or Mimi (as known among her friends) showed up at the grounds of Musée Rodin in a beautiful zebra print coat with butterfly-framed sunnies (a Dior vintage perhaps!) and a pink mini dress with wide satin blue hem.

Meanwhile, French heartthrob and actor Olivier Martinez, who sat next to Cothilde Courau, displayed his French suaveness in classic yet practical white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and jeans.

Drawing his inspirations from Lisa Fonssagrives and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy – two celebrated former models with élan and haute elegance distanced by different periods of time, the collection saw a line of traditional silhouettes harking back to the late 40’s.

It was the period everyone knows well, when late Monsieur Christian Dior first introduced his “New Look”, which soon became the renowned style template for fashion designers of our generation.

There was also a slight, if not total, possibility that Galliano too might have channelled the spirit of world’ first female pilot, Amelia Earheart. Well, that was after judging from the black leather aviator headpiece sported by one of the models at the opening. Earheart, who was reportedly vanished in the middle of Pacific Ocean while single-handedly circling the earth using her plane, was known for her truly feminine sense of style during her days.

Gossamer gowns with intricate detailing and softness ruled the centerstage with subtle yet not so pallid working palettes of black, beige, mint and some occasional sight of animal print. If the previous seasons saw Galliano incorporating his hallmarked epic-proportion volumes, it seems like the legendary enfant terrible of the high fashion world has toned it down, save for some nice puffy effects on skirts and the veritably dramatic finale piece.

Bringing pure boldness to the couture stage, Galliano entirely used sheer chiffon or tulle as the material for his gowns’ skirts. Flimsy to the max, the skirts were beautifully paired with matte tops in a variety of fabrics.

For example, there’s one matched with a kimono-inspired belted jacket fully crafted from alligator skin in anthracite. While the other was made in leopard print chiffon and paired with origami-detailed long-sleeved top.

Apart from that, imminent details such as wasp waists, classic peplums, and patent belts around the waists were also added to the pieces to make them more appealing and distinguished.

But as the show came to its climax, more breathtaking couture pieces emerged on stage. Sporting tiered skirts, the gowns are drenched in lively summer hues with complex detailing that truly requires more than tens of highly skilled petit-mains to complete them all.

At last, the theatrical presentation ended with a series of voluminous gowns that have been a part of Galliano’s bestselling trademark. As usual, the Gibraltar-born man of wonders made his finale appearance on the stage.

Dressed in simple suit and a beanie on his head, he stroke a pose and immersed in the thunderous claps and standing ovations, marking that the fashion world has given their stamp of approval to his exciting collection.

*Photos by Alessandro Lucione for Style.com and Magie Abang Saufi.

Christian Dior – Indulge Floor, Starhill Gallery, 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur; Ground Floor, Isetan Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, 55800 Kuala Lumpur; Passenger Level, International Departure, Kuala Lumpur International Airport.