Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2011 RTW

You've probably already seen this collection more times than you could wish, but you just can't ignore it.  This collection unexpectedly became a solemn tribute to Galliano's work at Dior, and it silently summed up everything that Galliano has created for the house.  Every  Dior show starts off with a dramatic entrance, and it was no different this time as Karlie Kloss trailed down the runway in a sweeping cape and a hat covering her eyes.

This look summed up the coming looks: a mysterious woman heading out under the moonlight for a romantic rendez-vous.

The colour palette then lightened up to reveal the woman's life during the day.  No longer mysterious, but rather fun and flirty.  The lush fur and brooding hats were kept to add a dash of elegance and glamour to the lightly Bohemian looks:

Then we saw this Dior woman in the evening, decked out in dark and sultry loungewear, waiting for her lover to arrive:

The garments once again lightened up into wispy, ethereal dresses that softly added to the surreal environment that had gripped the audience from start to finish.

Julia Saner, having the last walk, blew a delicate kiss towards the cameras as she reached the end of the runway.  It was a simple, sweet and heart-wrenching farewell to the master.

The gathering of Dior's seamstresses and craftsmen in lieu of the designer's usual runway saunter brought the emotional audience to their feet, in a history-making moment of solemn celebration.

There were 62 looks in total, and as each look went by, never has time felt so fast.  I wanted to slow each model down, revel in all the outfits that were so quintessentially Dior, and prolong the time before the end when we would all have no other choice than to finally say "good-bye".

I highly recommend you read a fantastically poignant review by the equally fantastic writer, Tim Blanks, here.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com