Vogue said of the S/S 2002 collection: "John Galliano's "Street Chic" collection took the form of a virtual world tour, with stops that included lavishly clad Bedouins, army recruits and girls in the 'hood. This was not the first time Dior has gone globetrotting, but Galliano injected, as always, new energy into his ethnic excursions. His bias-cut silk and lace dresses, embroidered jackets and sheer tops will work better than ever in this season of unbridled romanticism. Python jackets and low-slung hip-hop jeans also seem right for the moment, while the more eye-popping pieces—like the glittering pantsuit embroidered with kitschy Americana motifs—are just the thing for a starlet's weekend jaunt to Vegas."

This is a fabulous and sexy piece and it is looks like this one that defined the years that Galliano was at the head of Dior before his downfall. He was a master at contouring the body into the shapes he wanted and this is a beautiful example of how he combined both structure and flow in the same garment. The bodice is a structured corset that hooks down the front with flat hooks and is boned and shaped. The cups at the bust are padded and shaped to lift the breasts. Each cup is top stitched for extra detailing and this also offers contrast to the striped fabric. At the back the corset is laced so you can adjust it for the perfect cinched fit. Below this the silk chiffon skirt flows to the floor in a two sweeping layers of bias cut silk. It sweeps out as it nears the hem and has a slight train at the back. There is a slit up one side so you can see the the salmon pink silk chiffon layer under the top striped one when you move. Galliano designed fantasy pieces that combined historical references and pulled bits of design from a huge cross section of eras and somehow combined them to create very beautiful clothing. I remember seeing this dress everywhere that season and am sure there are more reference photos to be found for this dress. It really is one of his recognizable pieces. It is absolutely beautiful. Excellent condition

The dress is fully lined in silk through the bust with interior built in padded cups and boning.. It closes with a metal and nylon zipper at the side, laces at the back and hooks to close at the front. The skirt is lined with an attached second layer of silk. Tagged a US6, French 38. Because of the lacing on the back there is some adjustment possible for fit through the bust and waist.

Bust: 15-17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 2-14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 16-20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of dress to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD2770

Reference Photos: Christian Dior S/S 2002. (1) Look 47. Model: Liudmilla Bakhmat.  /  (2) Look 44. Model: Karolina Kurkova.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.