It’s been a tumultuous year for the house of Dior. Beyond the drama surrounding John Galliano’s abrupt dismissal from the brand, the first collection post-Galliano was a categorical disappointment. Former right-hand man to Galliano, Bill Gaytten, took the bad press from last season in stride and went back to the archives for inspiration. In this, his first ready-to-wear collection for the label, he looked towards Mr. Dior’s earliest collections and played it very safe. For the most part, the collection was filled with shift dresses, soft shouldered jackets, and swishy cocktail wear. It was as if Gaytten realized, after the unfortunate showing at couture, that he was merely a temp in the high fashion house and rather than see his vision butchered once again, he took staples of the brand such as the famous ‘bar’ coat and tweaked them for spring.
