Fashion world flocks to see what could conceivably

Likely motivated by equal parts love and admiration and morbid curiosity, fashion insiders descended Sunday on a tony Paris townhouse to see what could very well be the last ever collection by John Galliano, the brilliant British designer whose undoing last week has shocked and horrified the industry.

Galliano's longtime employer, luxury supernova Dior, fired him last Tuesday amid allegations he made anti-Semitic insults and after a video showing a drunk Galliano saying "I love Hitler" went viral on the Internet.

There were only 19 looks, but they all fairly oozed Galliano's unmistakable style. The models' makeup, too, and their languid walk and exaggerated poses were exactly as the designer would have done it himself.

Though Galliano is all anyone seems to talk about these days, Sunday also included shows by other heavy-hitters, including Celine, Hermes, Kenzo and Givenchy -- which was the object of intense scrutiny because the rumor mill has it that its young Italian designer, Riccardo Tisci, is a top contender to replace Galliano.

The line up on Monday, day seven of Paris' nine-day-long fashion week, is also a substantial one, with shows by Yves Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Chloe and Emanuel Ungaro.

JOHN GALLIANO

The event showcased just 19 looks -- fewer than half of what would typically be shown on the catwalk.

Models in full Galliano regalia traced lazy circles around Baroque, flower-covered centerpieces, pausing in front of the photographers' pits to strike exaggerated poses.

The clothing, bias cut gowns in sheer chiffon and oversized outerwear, was old school Galliano. Voluminous tweed jackets were paired with pencil skirts -- some of them in pastel tinged latex -- and flirty little pleated sundresses poked out from beneath fur-trimmed parkas. Marabou feathers undulated lazily from the hemline and sleeves of a long, lean gown in black silk that glinted with sequins.

At the Dior show on Friday -- where the full 60-odd-look, Galliano-overseen collection was shown without the designer -- the makeup was toned down. But the girls at Galliano were in their full splendor, their lips painted into dark, little bow shapes, their eyes heavy with liner and shadow and their cheeks shimmering with pinky blush.

Maybe it was the eyepopping makeup and garb, or the golden afternoon sun that streamed in through the windows, but the general mood at Sunday's presentation was lighter, less somber than at the almost funereal Dior show.

Dior CEO Sidney Toledano, who at Friday's show denounced Galliano's comments in a strongly worded statement, was also on-hand for Sunday's presentation, glad-handing industry insiders. Though what his presence there meant for the company's uncertain future was far from clear.

HERMES

Following the departure of the whirlwind that is Jean Paul Gaultier, Hermes paused to catch its breath.

Gaultier exited the brand after last season's display, in October, and his successor, the young French designer Christophe Lemaire, sent out a soft, calm and restful collection for fall. His designs, roomy parkas in buttery leather and floor-length mohair capes, had an understated elegance that fit well with the stately old house, which got its start in the 19th century as a saddle-maker.

Still, both the collection and the plodding display lacked Gaultier's energy and flair.

Gaultier, the one-time enfant terrible of French fashion, can work a theme like nobody's business, latching on and beating it within an inch of its life. In recent seasons, Gaultier sent out tennis and equestrian-themed collections with blockbuster shows to match that included Wimbeldon-style grass on the runway and a dressage demonstration by Lipizzaner horses.

Sunday's display, held in Hermes' new Left Bank boutique, was an altogether lower-key affair. No tennis courts, no horses, just a young lady playing a Chinese harp as the models filed slowly by.

With Sunday's display, Lemaire, who came from French sportswear label Lacoste, proved he has the skills to succeed at Hermes. But many in the audience just hoped he'd learn to bring some Gaultier-style spice, too.