Christian Dior Cruise 2011

As the city of Shanghai, China makes way for the tens of millions of guests pouring in for the 2010 World Expo, John Galliano, in his third visit to China since 2002, ushered in the House of Dior Saturday night with a sixties-chic cruise collection show that reinforced the brand’s Parisian roots–inspired by a Nouvelle Vague cinematic movement and channeling the likes of Jean Seaberg, Romy Schneider, Jeanne Moreau and Francoise Hardy. As Dior brand ambassadors Charlize Theron and Marion Cotillard (who stars in the “Lady Blue Shanghai” film directed by David Lynch) sat front row, 500 guests partook in the fashion show, held in a grey tent on the Huangpu River in the colonial district The Bund. “I didn’t want to come here and present a Chinese-inspired collection to my Chinese friends,” said Galliano. “I wanted to come here with a French-inspired collection and to show the savoir-faire of France.”

The show opened with Karlie Kloss in a sculpted plissé dress of pink leather and advanced to flirty knits and new takes on the bar jacket (think Prince of Wales check) before closing with a series of dramatic gowns in embroidered silk and organza. A Jean-Paul Belmondo-inspired three-piece suit was stellar, as were the coquettish minidresses in candy colors adorned with bows. Dior’s rose motif was plentiful, from a simple lace minidress to choker necklaces and handbags. Naturally, the evening gowns had attendees in sensory overload. Romance was the theme of the night, with corseted lace dresses and grand ball gowns festooned in embroidery, including a candy-pink dégradé silk-organza showstopper.