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You could call it the Oscar effect but it seems as if Dior couture looked to the red carpet for inspiration.
Perhaps it was this year's much-lauded French film "The Artist" which racked up six nominations on Tuesday (January 24), including Best Picture.
The film which pays homage to Hollywood's Golden Age seemed the perfect look for the runway.
Dior's couture collection on Monday (January 23) delved into the old to produce the new.
The "New Look" from the 1950s included exaggerated cinched-in waists and billuous skirts.
Today, they were paired with jackets that were short and chic, made of embroidered silk or black crocodile.
Layers of translucent silk were piled high on skirts to create a swirl of cloud around the skirt.
Vast ball gowns in bright red and black rounded out the collection.
This is only designer Bill Gaytten's second couture show and the reaction from critics was more favourable than last October.
It's been almost a year now since its former designer John Galliano was ousted for making anti-Semitic remarks.
The embattled fashion house is still looking for someone to take on design duties.
Now the talk is of Belgian designer Raf Simons after American Marc Jacobs took himself out of the running in December.
For now, Dior isn't talking about its search, focusing only at the moment, on the clothes.
Cindy Martin, Reuters
