John Galliano (born 1960, Gibraltar) ran Christian Dior for fifteen years, from his couture debut in January 1997 to his dismissal in March 2011. He treated Dior’s archive like a dressing-up box: the New Look Bar jacket cut on the bias, then sent out as a Masai bride, a Klimt portrait, an Egyptian queen or a geisha folded from origami. Every couture show was a production, with Stephen Jones hats, Pat McGrath make-up and Galliano taking his bow in costume. He also turned Dior from a sleepy heritage name into a global luxury business. This guide lists all 29 couture collections, explains the ones that mattered, and links to every show we have reviewed.
John Galliano at Dior at a glance
| Designer | John Galliano, born 28 November 1960, Gibraltar; raised in South London |
| Trained | Central Saint Martins; 1984 graduate show Les Incroyables |
| At Dior | Creative director, 1996–2011 (after a year at Givenchy) |
| Couture collections | 29, from Spring 1997 to Spring 2011 |
| Also designed | Dior ready-to-wear and his own John Galliano label |
| Key collaborators | Steven Robinson (right hand), Stephen Jones (hats), Pat McGrath (make-up) |
| Signatures | Bias cut, re-cut Bar jacket, historical and global costume, theatrical bows, the Saddle bag |
| Left | Dismissed 1 March 2011 after antisemitic remarks in Paris |
Timeline: Galliano and Dior
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Bernard Arnault makes Galliano creative director of Givenchy, the first Briton to lead a French couture house |
| 1996 | Moves to Dior; Alexander McQueen replaces him at Givenchy |
| 1997 | First Dior couture show in January, for the house’s 50th anniversary |
| 2000 | Spring 2000 couture, with gowns printed with newspaper, sparks protests; the Saddle bag launches in ready-to-wear |
| 2007 | Steven Robinson dies; Spring 2007 couture marks Galliano’s tenth year; Dior’s 60th anniversary show is held at Versailles |
| 2011 | Spring 2011 is his last couture show; dismissed in March |
| 2014–2024 | Creative director of Maison Margiela |
| 2026 | Starts a partnership with Zara; the Met’s planned 2027 Galliano exhibition is cancelled after he withdraws |
Every Galliano couture collection for Dior, 1997–2011
We have reviewed 17 of the 29. Here they are in order, with our headline for each.
| Season | Our take | Ayerhs review |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 1999 | Dior’s Surrealist Dreamscape | Read |
| Fall 2000 | Sartorial Sermons | Read |
| Spring 2002 | A Russian Odyssey | Read |
| Spring 2003 | Fine China, Fine Couture | Read |
| Fall 2003 | Cultural Kaleidoscope | Read |
| Spring 2004 | Sensationally Sphinx | Read |
| Fall 2004 | Drama Meets Opulence | Read |
| Spring 2005 | Simple to Regal | Read |
| Fall 2005 | Dreamscapes & Details | Read |
| Fall 2006 | Medieval Marvels | Read |
| Spring 2008 | Galliano’s Visual Explosion | Read |
| Fall 2008 | Galliano’s Couture Renaissance | Read |
| Spring 2009 | Vermeer’s Verve | Read |
| Fall 2009 | Undress Moi | Read |
| Spring 2010 | Equestrian Meets Elegance | Read |
| Fall 2010 | Fleur Power | Read |
| Spring 2011 | Dégradé Couture (his last) | Read |
Not yet in our archive: Spring 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998, Fall 1999, Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Fall 2001, Fall 2002, Spring 2006, Spring 2007 and Fall 2007. For a highlights reel across all of them, see Greatest moments of Christian Dior Couture by John Galliano.
The 5 collections that defined Galliano’s Dior
1. Spring 1997: the debut
- What happened: For Dior’s 50th anniversary, Galliano mixed the Bar jacket with Masai beaded neck rings and Belle Époque corsetry.
- Why it mattered: It set the method for 15 years: Dior’s codes, collided with a story from somewhere else.
2. Spring 2000: the newspaper couture
- What happened: Inspired by Paris’s homeless, gowns were printed with newsprint and styled with deliberately shabby layers.
- Why it mattered: Protesters gathered outside the house. It showed Galliano’s appetite for provocation, and the newspaper print became one of Dior’s most collected motifs.
3. Spring 2004: Egypt
- What happened: Pharaohs and sphinxes in gold lamé, painted faces by Pat McGrath and towering headdresses.
- Why it mattered: Peak Galliano spectacle; it is the image most people picture when they hear “Dior couture” from this era. Read our review.
4. Spring 2007: Madame Butterfly
- What happened: Japan seen through Puccini, with kimono sleeves, origami folds and Shalom Harlow closing as a geisha bride.
- Why it mattered: It marked his tenth anniversary at Dior and is widely ranked among his finest couture.
5. Spring 2011: the last couture
- What happened: Inspired by René Gruau’s fashion illustrations, with washes of colour fading across full skirts.
- Why it mattered: Nobody knew it was his final Dior show; about five weeks later he was gone. Read our review.
How to spot a Galliano Dior: signature codes
| Signature | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Bias cut | Silk cut diagonally so it clings and flows, after Madeleine Vionnet |
| The Bar jacket, remixed | Dior’s 1947 nipped waist, exaggerated or collided with other cultures |
| Character casting | Every model plays a role: a marchesa, a pharaoh, a geisha |
| Hats and faces | Stephen Jones headpieces and Pat McGrath make-up as part of the costume |
| Logomania | The Dior monogram, the Saddle bag and “J’adore Dior” in ready-to-wear |
| The bow | Galliano at the end of every show in costume: astronaut, pirate, Napoleon |
Dior after Galliano: the house today
| Creative director | Years | Our reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Gaytten (interim) | 2011–2012 | – |
| Raf Simons | 2012–2015 | The best of Dior Haute Couture by Raf Simons |
| Maria Grazia Chiuri | 2016–2025 | Her best Dior collection · A walk through Maria Grazia’s Dior · Spring 2025 |
| Jonathan Anderson | 2025–present | Spring 2026 · Couture Spring 2026 · Fall 2026 · Resort 2027 |
Keep reading on Ayerhs
- John Galliano: the complete guide
- John Galliano pulls out of Met exhibition
- His own label: John Galliano Fall 1997 · John Galliano Fall 2000
- Iconic make-up looks by Pat McGrath for Dior
- Christian Dior: the complete guide – the founder and the New Look
John Galliano at Dior: FAQ
How long was John Galliano at Dior?
Fifteen years: appointed in 1996, he showed his first couture collection in January 1997 and was dismissed on 1 March 2011.
How many couture collections did Galliano design for Dior?
29, two a year from Spring 1997 to Spring 2011, alongside ready-to-wear and his own label.
What was Galliano’s last Dior collection?
Spring 2011 couture, shown in January 2011. The Fall 2011 ready-to-wear show in March went ahead without him.
Who designs Dior now?
Jonathan Anderson, who took over both women’s and men’s in 2025.
Sources: Dana Thomas, Gods and Kings; Kerry Taylor, Galliano: Spectacular Fashion; Dior; Ayerhs archive reviews.
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