PARIS - The trilby hat and short, baggy pants of German artist Joseph Beuys was the muse behind John Galliano's fall-winter 2013 show.
Designer Bill Gaytten was spurred on creatively after seeing installation by Beuys, who died in 1986, and was famous for his slouchy style.
Models walked down the Paris catwalk with a swagger in loose and flowing coats and jackets often complemented with oversized turtlenecks in a masculine, muted palette of camel, grey, burgundy, olive and black.
There were also several takes on the trilby, some with Stetson dents, that came across with theatrical panache.
But it was not just Beuys' personal style at work here.
Gaytten also said he was inspired by "(Beuys') use of material, in particular the contrast of felt with the unexpected."
Providing this contrast, fluorescent neon teddy boy shoes jarred nicely as they accompanied a classically tailored suit.
Some of the free flowing looks hit the right spot, with the best coming in the form of a jacket with one lapel that flowed down as a scarf.
However, the theatricality got the better of some of the ensembles: like an exuberantly printed jacket that was just plain busy.
Backstage Gaytten would not comment on news that the house founder, John Galliano, has been invited to return to fashion for the first time since a drunken rant at a Paris cafe caused him to leave his eponymous label.
Oscar de la Renta invited Galliano to spend time in his studio over the next three weeks, according to a statement released Friday by de la Renta's company.
Who knows what the future holds.
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