DIOR F/W 1998-99 FULL SHOW

The Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 1997 show, dubbed "Diorient Express," was controversial for its Orientalist themes. John Galliano’s designs romanticized Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African aesthetics through turbans, veils, and opulent embroidery, evoking colonial-era fantasies rather than authentic representation. By the late 1990s, cultural appropriation was increasingly scrutinized, and critics found the collection outdated and problematic despite its artistic brilliance. While praised for its spectacle, it remains a key example of fashion’s struggle with cultural sensitivity.