SWAG ON FILM

This week’s Swag on Film: John Galliano backstage at the premiere of his Fall 1994 Collection featuring the “MINI MONO”

Galliano’s homage to the pure elegance of the Japanese kimono, captured backstage at the Spring 1994 show with CNN Style.

Last week I posted photos of Galliano’s Fall 1994 collection. I found the picture because I wanted to take a break from the intense research I had been conducting on Japanese culture and “translators.” I needed a breath of fresh air, so I went deep diving into old collections on Vogue. I loved the collection so bad that after I posted it, I just had to do further research. I found this CNN style video and Galliano literally says he took the purity of the kimono and translated it with a “1940s twist.” I literally couldn’t believe my ears. I believe in studying what demands to be studied, creating what demands to be created. So here we are, back in Japan. The “Mini Monos”, he explained, are essentially double-breasted 1940s jackets worn alone. He emphasized the nape of the neck, the gravity of traditional materials, and the beautifully decorated Obis featured throughout the collection.

And what fascinates me most is how the silhouette speaks across time. The soft structure. The waist pulled in like an obi. If you stripped it down to just the form, the kimono and the 1940s jacket are blaringly similar. Couture and culture. Past and presence. It’s all there and I’m fascinated and seated.

Galliano is the first of the “translators” I’ll be covering and what that means exactly will unfold over time…

A large part of me has always been extremely drawn to Asian art and cultural influences. The more I study fashion history and present day art, I find myself frequently revisiting that part of myself. I hope you’ll stay tuned.

In case you want to see the full collection… xox… U HAVE TO!