This was one man's tribute to the sacking of John Galliano from the house of Dior prior to the Autumn/ Winter 2011 show in Paris on Friday.The designer – who was dismissed after making anti-Semitic remarks which were caught on camera - did not attend the sombre show which was packed full of black-clad journalists.He is rumoured to be in a rehabilitation centre in Arizona.Celebrities usually flock to the Dior presentations, but this time only a handful showed their faces, evidently keen to maintain their distance.The mood already extremely dampened, the fashion house's president Sydney Toledano took to the runway beforehand to express his regret at the recent events. "What has happened over the last week has been a terrible and wrenching ordeal for us all," he said.Instead of John Galliano gracing the runway decked out in a fantastical costume for his usually dramatic, final-bow, Dior's atelier took to the catwalk.
Dozens of seamstresses, tailors and embroiderers who brought Galliano's designs to life were given a standing ovation and – all clad in white lab coats – clapped back.Tears were shed as statements were made on the impact of this recent event. "I want to say it's history in the making, but it's more like history in the unmaking," Linda Fargo, Bergdorf Goodman senior vice president, and a fixture at Dior shows, told The AP."It's a sad day. Everyone's kind of wistful. "Meanwhile, on Sunday, John Galliano's own line was showcased in a low-key presentation, again in the designer's absence.The event, held in a town house in Paris' affluent 16th district, showcased just 19 looks - fewer than half of what would typically be shown on the catwalk.It was trademark Galliano. Voluminous tweed jackets paired with pencil skirts created a womanly elegance and long, lean evening gowns sparkled with sequins.