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Galliano

Colin McDowell

1997199 pagesabout 3–5 hours
1997
first published
  • 1998Phoenix Illustrated · 199 pages · ENGISBN 9780753804971
  • 2001Seven Dials · 208 pages · ENGISBN 9781841881614
  • 1997Trafalgar Square · 208 pages · ENGISBN 9780297819387

His trademark is romance - the romance of unfettered fantasy, of quixotic garments spun out of fragments of the past. Galliano is immersed in the originality of English art, in the power of the Spanish visual tradition, and the eclecticism of French cultural history - his first show, inspired by the French Revolution, was called 'Les Incroyables'. Fairytales and fables provide a rich source, too - his first collection for Givenchy was an interpretation of 'The Princess and the Pea'. All this is grounded in realism, however, and he is celebrated as much for the sheer virtuosity of his technique, and for his knowledge of what can and cannot be achieved with fabric and line, as for his extravagant flair and imagination. This uniquely personal book not only showcases Galliano's designs for couture clothing, but reveals his inspirations and influences, his home, haunts, travels, and friends, and his own inimitable, often outrageous personal style. Over 250 illustrations - including previously unpublished sketches - show his trademark historic-romantic look.

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