The couture shows in Paris began with a bang yesterday as the enfant terrible of the fashion world, John Galliano, shocked the senses at the house of Dior. Sending his models off in suits of armour and exotic headdresses reminiscent of the Renaissance, he proved once again what an indefatiguable imagination can produce. The creations were costume-like, as in a Chinese opera, with vividly painted faces and little attention for conventional prettiness. His awe-inspiring craftsmanship was in evidence once again; yet, take away all the bright feathers and warrior's attributes, and one is left with beautifully crafted, wearable gowns. The designer's inspirations for the collection were Lake Como, Florence, Rome, Venice, the Surrealism of Salvador Dali and his wife Gala and French actress Arletty, as he told Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune. The Cleopatra-style headdresses and glittering chiffon column dresses kicked off the show, an apparent celebration of feminine beauty through the ages. The black, metallic and vibrantly coloured punk look that followed later in the show was modern amongst the Renaissance-inspired pieces, featuring the look of the moment: the black legging. Piercing through the seemingly impenetrable armour of the collection, it appeared surprisingly wearable. Judging by the number of starlets in the audience, we will doubtlessly be seeing many of his creations being sported on the red carpets of Hollywood.