Following the Haute Couture shows for Alexis Mabille and Stéphane Rolland, I made my way to Dior.  And anyone who follows me on twitter @Susan_Tabak knows that I went wild over this show!

It was one of those memorable fashion experiences where I felt completely swept away. John Galliano fused his exuberant creativity with the soul of Dior, resulting in a magnificent collection with deep historical roots. It was Dior at its most pure.  The cuts, shapes, colors and patterns of the dresses, jackets and skirts reached back to the house’s couture collections of the 1940s and 50s.  And with the show held in the upstairs salons of the company’s avenue Montaigne headquarters, it felt like olden times, too.  I could almost touch those amazing hats and the dazzling jewels, and I could see the details and tailoring of the clothing so clearly.

Intimacy was definitely a theme here, with many models wearing underpinnings as garments.  Corsets, garters, slips, stockings and black lace lingerie could be seen beneath transparent tulle or atop the bright-colored separates.  Not exactly something a woman can wear out, but that’s not the point.  What Galliano showed was the essence of couture: unique, escapist and totally inspiring.

Below are some more photos of the Dior attendees.  Of course, Marion Cotillard, the label’s muse and Lady Dior campaign star, was front and center.

Marion Cotillard

Nora Arnezeder and Clotilde Courau arrive

Arnaud Lemaire and Claire Chazal

After Monday’s shows, I stopped by the boutique l’Eclaireur to celebrate Loulou de la Falaise’s new “luxurious gypsy” jewelry collection for Oscar de la Renta.  The crowd was a great mix of edgy chic hipsters and couture fashion figures. Hamish Bowles, Suzy Menkes and Lee Radziwill were there, and it is always nice to see Loulou — not only is she Chic Over 40, she also happens to be one of the eight iconic French women I profiled in my first book, Chic in Paris.

The forever-chic Loulou de la Falaise

With Oscar de la Renta

Greeting Lee Radziwill

With Robert Burke

Pictured with Armand Hadida, owner of L’Eclaireur

- candid photos by Marie Goujon and runway images via wwd.com