DIOR: Makeup From The Galliano Era

During John Galliano's tenure as the creative director of Dior, the makeup for the brand's runway shows was often as dramatic and imaginative as the couture collections themselves. Galliano's vision extended beyond fashion into a full sensory experience, and makeup played a key role in his storytelling.

1. Bold and Theatrical:
Galliano's runway shows often featured makeup that was exaggerated and theatrical. Models were frequently seen with dramatic eyes, defined brows, and bold lips, contributing to an overall fantastical look. The makeup was often inspired by vintage glamor, exaggerated beauty ideals, or surreal themes. Faces were transformed with strong contrasts, from intense smoky eyes to bright, dramatic lips in shades of red, pink, or even purple.

2. Exaggerated Eye Makeup:
A hallmark of the makeup looks was the focus on the eyes. Eyeliner was applied in thick, precise lines to create a bold, almost graphic appearance. Smoky eye makeup was a regular feature, using deep blacks, metallics, and jewel tones to give a sense of mystery and allure. False eyelashes were often incorporated to make the eyes appear even larger, creating a doll-like effect that matched the theatricality of Galliano’s designs.

3. Sculpted and Contoured:
Galliano's models often had highly sculpted faces, with sharp contours that accentuated their bone structure. This was achieved through strategic use of bronzers and highlighters, creating a chiseled look that added to the dramatic, almost otherworldly beauty. Blush was often applied in bold strokes to create a flushed, dramatic effect that enhanced the visual impact.

4. Skin and Texture:
The skin was typically kept flawless, with a porcelain-like quality that added to the ethereal aesthetic of Galliano’s Dior shows. Heavy foundations, powders, and highlighters helped create an immaculate canvas, while dewy textures were sometimes used to give the skin a soft glow, contrasting with the otherwise striking makeup elements.

5. Iconic Lip Colors:
Bold lips were a signature part of Galliano’s makeup direction, with shades ranging from classic red to darker, deeper hues like burgundy, plum, and even black. These lips often had a glossy or matte finish, depending on the overall theme of the show, but the effect was always striking and dramatic.

6. Fantasy and Avant-Garde:
Occasionally, the makeup would lean toward fantasy and avant-garde, with models wearing creative designs like painted faces, glitter, or unique patterns on the eyelids or cheeks. Some collections featured even more outlandish looks, such as gilded faces or exaggerated blush shapes, pushing the boundaries of traditional beauty and blending seamlessly with Galliano’s couture creations.

Overall, Galliano’s makeup direction at Dior was bold, often experimental, and always a key part of the fashion narrative he crafted on the runway. His use of makeup not only complemented the fashion but also created an emotional connection with the audience, heightening the sense of drama and fantasy that defined his time at the brand.