Few industries are more fickle than fashion, and few audiences more composed of fair weather friends than at a major Continental catwalk, which is why today’s dreamily romantic, expertly draped and classily finished Christian Dior collection will quite probably not get the positive reviews this subtle take on modern style very much merits.

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DNA – a big word in fashion, generally signifying that a designer has respected the “codes” of a brand or house – was in full supply in this spring 2012 collection, which featured the flared dresses and curvy shoulders of Dior, the sense of structured femininity of its founder and the vibrant dollop of classiness that the label stands for.

Staged a custom-made tent in the Rodin Museum on Friday, Sept. 30, the show opened with curvalicious daywear – dimpled skirts in organza and checked jackets in silk and cotton mixes. And Dior’s women’s designer Bill Gaytten also sent out brilliant soft leather tunics and jackets that seem molded around the models torsos.

The British-born successor to John Galliano is also a savvy draper – serving up ravishing red “trompe l’oeil” silk and leather cocktails that hung beautifully. His smartest trick, though, were great flat stone and ceramic rectangles embroidered as trim on swing skirts and ladylike tops. Elegant, yet also heroic, the single best look was a modernist Grecian goddess plisse chiffon party frock with divine frontal inverted V shimming embroidery.

Gaytten also combined well with Dior’s historic creative team – most notably a cool selection of trilby-like cloches in shaved glove leather that hatter Stephen Jones molded around the models heads.

This an impressive at bat for Gaytten who got – in our view, an unfair critical mauling back in July in his debut Dior couture show – and one that establishes his credentials as a creative director. Nonetheless, after an enthralling finale, the applause was restrained, the mood sniffy and several editors had already begun marching out of the show while Gaytten was still taking his bow. A faux pas of manners, and an inelegant reminder of what an unthankful world fashion can be.

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