Zara x John Galliano: In Love with the Styling, Less Sure about the Price Tag

The styling has my whole heart. The fabric labels and price tags? I have a few questions.

I knew I was going to be interested in Zara x John Galliano. What I did not quite anticipate was how much I would love looking at it. The layering, the romance, the slightly undone glamour: it feels so recognisably Galliano. I kept going back to the images, imagining how I would wear the pieces, and then going back again. Very normal behaviour, obviously.

A little closer to home

As a girl born and raised in Gibraltar, Galliano has always felt like a particularly big inspiration to me. He was born there too, to a Gibraltarian father and Spanish mother, before his family moved to London when he was six. His time on the Rock was brief, but that connection has always stayed with me. Gibraltar is tiny, and there are still plenty of people who have never even heard of it, so there is something almost magical about seeing someone from the same little place go on to make such an enormous mark on fashion. It reminds me that talent, hard work and perseverance can carry you far beyond where you started. Galliano didn’t just enter one of the hardest industries in the world; he created an entire universe within it, full of colour, drama and storytelling. I think that is what has always captivated me most.

That is why I keep coming back to his work. His clothes feel like stories in themselves, and I think I came to this collaboration already wanting to be swept up in that world again.

The styling is everything

Zara calls the collection Re{form}. The name comes from the way Galliano approached Zara’s existing garments, taking familiar pieces from its stock and cutting, reshaping and reworking them into something entirely new. For me, the strongest part is the way the pieces are put together. A slip dress becomes the beginning of an outfit rather than the whole thing. Sheer layers, long ties, gloves, and unexpected combinations make the familiar feel a little strange and much more interesting

The ochre slip with the black dotted layer and purple tie detail is exactly the kind of styling that makes me stop scrolling. There is so much going on, but the colours and transparency let each layer have its moment. It feels playful and romantic without being too precious. This is what I love about Galliano: the clothes make me want to experiment with my own wardrobe.

I do think this was very, very well done visually. It feels like a collection with a point of view, and the styling gives you something to take away even if you never buy a single piece.

Then I opened the composition tab

This is where some of the excitement started to wobble. The use of polyester and other synthetic fibres across parts of the collection is disappointing to me, especially when so many of the garments sit at prices that definitely make you pause before buying.

One specific example is the dotted mesh long dress: Zara lists it at £199 with a composition of 100% polyamide. I love the effect it creates as a layer, but that fabric at that price arrests my attention.

I also don’t want to make this sound like “synthetic equals bad”, because I don’t think it is that simple. A synthetic fibre does not automatically mean a garment is badly made, just as a natural fibre does not automatically make something good quality. For me, the hesitation comes more from seeing certain materials used at this price point. I haven’t handled these pieces myself, so I can’t fairly judge the stitching, finish, or how they actually feel and wear, but on paper I would have loved to see more natural fibres used across some of the more expensive pieces in the collection.

The silk pieces deserve their moment

It would also be unfair to pretend the whole collection is synthetic. The ochre 100% silk camisole dress, for example, is listed as 100% mulberry silk at £99.99. Those are the kinds of pieces that make the collection much more tempting to me: a beautiful, versatile dress paired with a material I actually want in my wardrobe.

There is a difference between admiring a complete look and deciding which individual garment is worth investing in. Here, I would be looking closely at the silk pieces, checking each composition and thinking about how much use I would get from it.

The queues, the refreshing, the disappointment

The launch clearly struck a chord. Vogue reported queues at London’s Bond Street flagship, with security handing out wristbands. The physical shopping experience was limited too: London and Madrid flagships, alongside an appointment-only Paris pop-up. It felt like a fashion event as much as a high-street launch.

Meanwhile, I was on the website religiously and still did not manage to get any of the pieces I wanted. Things sold out so quickly. It is frustrating to spend that much time watching a collection, imagining it in your wardrobe, and then miss out anyway. The excitement was real; so was the disappointment.

At these prices, I would look at vintage too

I do agree with the criticism of the price points. They vary, but the upper end climbs quickly: Zara’s black 100% silk dress and lace-and-ruffle dress were both listed at £699 when I checked. That is not a casual purchase, even when a design has completely won me over.

At those levels, my instinct would be to look at second-hand Galliano as well, including Dior from his time at the house. I would definitely be checking eBay and Vinted before committing. Depending on the piece, size and condition, you can sometimes find vintage Galliano for a similar price. Obviously, buying second-hand comes with its own risks, especially when it comes to authenticity, but if I am spending that much, it is a comparison I am going to make.

If I am saving for a special garment, I want to weigh the new collaboration against an older piece I have loved for years. The name on the label is exciting; the fabric, fit, and place it will have in my wardrobe matter just as much.

Still in love with the vision

Overall, I love the styling. I love the imagination behind it, and I love seeing Galliano’s design language come through so clearly. The collection has given me ideas, colour combinations, and ways of layering that I want to try for myself.

I just wish more of the materials lived up to what those images make me feel, especially at the higher prices. For now, I am left with a saved folder full of beautiful looks and no new clothes. Slightly tragic, but very good wardrobe inspiration.

Sources & image credits

Images: Zara, linked to their original Zara pages. Collection imagery and product details: Zara Re{form} lookbook; black silk dress; lace-and-ruffle dress. Launch reporting: Vogue. Biographical background: British Vogue and Biography.com.