Galliano marks corset's return

When Christian Dior launched his couture house in 1947, many applauded the New Look for heraldeding a return to full skirts and generous use of fabric after the austere war years. But women also atacked the couturier for returning them to the uncomfortable confines of corsetry.

Nothing changes. John Galliano's collection for Dior yesterday returned to that era with clothes that would look stunning in a museum, but offered little in the way of modern comfort. In the heat of the afternoon, models were close to passing out backstage and many could barely walk in their long fishtail skirts.

The Brits in Paris certainly know how to create an atmosphere and generate headline news. But at Galliano, there was nothing to wear if you were not willing to be laced up into an hourglass corset. It is ironic that both Galliano and McQueen, who are in competition to see which can outdo the other, do not look to dress modern-day women, but strive instead to dress whimsical characters of a bygone age.