For Fall/Winter 2017-2018, John Galliano toyed with a staple item, also known as the trench coat. At first, the designer’s progressive aesthetic translated into a full-blown trench, paired with gold metallic boots, but the show soon transitioned into cut out pieces of fabrics held together with waist-belts, revealing a hint of sensuality- what with the bare shoulders. Ripped pieces of trench coats found their way into almost all the designs, serving as a corset at times or as a deconstructed dress at other times.

Along came the broad shouldered and overbearing coats, granting the line volume and presence. It’s as if Galliano was breaking Haute Couture’s “sumptuous gowns” norm and setting the tone for a new era, the era of sporty-couture. There were sheer garments revealing sultry tight corsets while ripped pieces of clothing were thrown onto the body of models in such an artistic way that it would be amiss to forgo the little details. The designer’s brilliance lied in his ability to transform a very classic concept into a more artistic revelation, one that attests yet again to Maison Margiela’s forte.

Cindy Menassa