Galliano's New Collection Shown in Paris

Fashion designer John Galliano looked to the deserts of north Africa for inspiration for his new collection debuted during Paris Fashion Week.

The designer's Spring/Summer 2010 show featured a number of turbans, waistcoats and Turkish trousers and was one of many to use what the New York Times described as the "manly romance of the Orient" as a creative palette.

His show included a homage to the style of Lawrence of Arabia and Napoleon in the form of a French soldier returning from Egypt and a number of crinkled and rumpled outfits reminiscent of the uniforms of military personnel travelling through the deserts of the Middle East.

Galliano was also one of the designers to work on a controversial show focusing on showcasing the abaya - the long black overgarment worn by many Arab women.

His design opened the event and was worn by a Russian red-head riding side-saddle and dressed in a shawl adorned with sequins.

Other fashionistas who contributed to the show at the George V hotel in Paris included Italian Jean Claude Jitrois and US designer Caroline Herrera.

Galliano has been working for Christian Dior for the past ten years as well as running his own fashion label.