I arrived in Paris on assignment for the FT just as the pins were pulled and John Galliano and Alexander McQueen (live grenades both) took the reins at Dior and Givenchy respectively. I had never seen a fashion show before, let alone a couture show, and for me it was like entering Narnia. Since then, every January and July, I have taken my gilt chair and recorded the passing parade. I witnessed the magisterial final bows of Saint Laurent, Valentino Garavani and Christian Lacroix, noted the rise (and occasional fall) of a new generation of designers and thrilled to the return of Schiaparelli. Most of all, I came to understand the importance of fashion drawing as an art form that holds a mirror to the times and allows us a space in which to dream. Read More