British designer John Galliano used a "nude" theme and a dramatic light show to bring the enormous glass cupola of Paris's Grand Palais back to life on Tuesday after it was closed for works for a decade.

To loud drum beats, models wearing transparent, skin-colored dresses streamed out from behind a large mirror in Galliano's show for Christian Dior, parading into the giant hall.

The Palais, built for the 1900 world exhibition, has housed major art shows and was used as a hospital and lorry park during the world wars. But its oak foundations had started to rot, and it closed after a bolt fell off its glass ceiling in 1993. Since then, the 200-metre-long masterpiece has undergone a major facelift and finally opened its doors again last month.

"We are very proud to have this show in the Grand Palais," said Bernard Arnault, chairman of the LVMH luxury goods group to which Dior belongs. "I'm very excited," he told reporters ahead of the show.

Galliano used the space of the Palais for a dramatic light show and spectators could see the models on the catwalk reflected in the high glass-paneled roof. He based his ready-to-wear collection on a "nude" theme, sending out the first models in light, transparent dresses, and adding touches of color as the show progressed. He combined floating skin-colored chiffon dresses with leather bands and presented a washed denim jacket with a "nude"-colored organza skirt. He added bright patches of pink, green and yellow to the final dresses of the show.

--I bet that was so cool.

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Posted by Lawren at October 5, 2005 08:11 AM | Trackbacks (0)

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