Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2001

John Galliano Spring/Summer 2001

Roberto Cavalli Mens Spring Summer 2005

When a model with a blue-painted face, wearing a giant tinsel hood, a vast exploding bubble of ruffles, green Lurex leggings and six-inch glitter platforms opens a show, we sense we are not exactly in for the average run-through of clothes to buy for summer. What John Galliano did instead was to lay on an outrageous piece of performance art, a spectacle that flew exuberantly in the face of fashion's normal purpose.

As inspiration for his latest piece of theater, the designer cited, among other things, Leigh Bowery, icon of early '80s London club culture. Galliano's 2003 homage to that era, in which competitive dressing was taken to ever more bizarre heights of do-it-yourself costume, took the form of enormously puffed-up shapes supported on hoops and covered in flounces; massive military jackets; swathes of sari fabric; and Indian-inspired makeup and jewelry.

John Galliano Spring/Summer 2003 RTW

Versace Fall/Winter 2004

Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2006

“Crown of Lies” is a requiem for truth in an age of spectacle. Between rapcore fury and metallic despair, it exposes the illusion of freedom — how belief became a brand, and hope was traded for control.

[Intro]
We were told the truth was gold,
But all I see is plastic souls.
They sell us gods, they sell our minds —
Welcome home… to the Crown of Lies.

[Verse 1]
Lights flash, screens preach faith,
Digital gods in human shape.
Every promise sold for pain,
New world order in your brain.
Fake salvation, plastic peace,
Feed the rich, control the streets.
Smile for the camera, dance for the chains,
You’re free — as long as you play their game.

[Bridge]
LIES!
(SCREAM IT LOUD!)
THE TRUTH IS DEAD, THE CROWD IS PROUD!
FAITH IS MARKETED! SOULS ARE SOLD!
CROWN OF LIES — TURNING GOLD TO MOLD!

[Chorus]
Crown of lies — shining bright,
Blinding every soul tonight!
Crown of lies — fall and burn,
Now it’s your turn!

[Verse 2]
They speak in slogans, we bleed in code,
The system owns the motherload.
Fame is freedom, fear is law,
We’re just meat for the media maw.
Scroll and pray — obey the flame,
Every death’s another game.
No kings, no gods, no light to find,
Only data — ruling mankind.

[Bridge II]
RISE!
(BREAK THEIR THRONE!)
SCREAM!
(TEAR THE STONE!)
THE SYSTEM BLEEDS — THE CITIES DIE!
WE ARE THE FIRE — WE ARE THE LIE!

[Bridge III]
BURN IT DOWN!
(DIG THEIR GRAVES!)
CROWN OF LIES!
(NO ONE SAVES!)
THE SKY IS BLACK! THE GODS RETREAT!
THE DEAD NOW WALK — TO THEIR OWN BEAT!

[Chorus – Final]
Crown of lies — shining bright,
Burn the system, kill the light!
Crown of lies — end begins,
All your saints drown in sins!

[Outro]
They gave us hope,
but sold it for power.
They gave us truth…
and named it a product.

Versace Spring Summer 2012

PJThai