John Galliano, the Christian Dior fashion designer, kicked off the round of couture shows in Paris with a stylish visual argument for haute couture's place in the contemporary world.

His fresh, fairly restrained silhouettes, mixed with a confidence among design house executives that couture is prosperous, dispelled any persistent notions that the made-to-measure art form is not viable in today's fast fashion era.

Galliano at all times transforms and reinvent his influences from bygone eras. The result is an haute couture collection with bite. Galliano said of the collection: "There's a sexy new step in the salon." There was an unquestionably hot streak to chain mail shoes with silver heels like upturned Eiffel towers. The first half of the show featured a monochrome color scheme, and black leather cloche hats studded with punky rivets by Stephen Jones, and a slightly 1980s belted leather jacket with blouson sleeves. The fondant colors that came afterward – sugared almond pink, pistachio, cream and lilac, which appeared on tiered ballgowns would suit a princess.