Manolo says, Pepe, don’t forget the hedges!

**

And now the Manolo must clarify the few things.

Yes, the Manolo likes to gently mock the John Galliano, mostly for his theatrical dress and his outrageous runway behavior. And yet, even as the Manolo mocks, he must also acknowledge that, more than any other current designer, John Galliano has the ability to be sublime.

Indeed, he is one of the few working designers whom the Manolo is willing to call the genius. This judgement, long held by the Manolo, has been further confirmed by his most recent Parisian show, the Fall 2007 prêt-à-porter collection.

There are pieces in this collection that the Manolo finds beautiful, and smart, and filled with character and charm and individuality and movement. And it is not just the individual clothes, but the entire gestalt of the show, with its detail and whimisicality, which impresses. Even the shoes, although ultimately unwearable, look good.