Have you seen the madness that is the installation created for the Dior 2012 AW haute couture show? These photos leave me a bit breathless. Giddy, like I could forget the clothes entirely, see a show of forty models in paper bags, and rave that it was the best thing I’d ever seen in fashion. Flowers can make even the sanest person lose their mind.

This joyful superabundance is the work of Raf Simons (and dozens of floral stylists — view the “Making of…” here), who debuted as Dior’s new creative director with this show. Clearly, he felt he needed to make an impact. The inspiration is Christian Dior’s own idea of the “flower women,” referring to his famous, very feminine silhouettes of the 40s. Beyond that, I don’t think we can get too analytical about it. The show notes are mostly gobbledygook. (A sample:  “This is one of the ways Christian Dior’s ‘Flower Women’… become contemporary in the collection; the architecture of flowers is analysed in a different way for the contemporary world.”)

Anyway, the experience speaks for itself. This isn’t about the architecture of flowers, it’s about the pleasure of flowers. It’s about a fantasy made real. It is pure, immersive, sensory joy. There’s really only one thing to do with it, and that’s to enjoy it. Happy daydreaming!

Via: The House That Lars Built

And if you want more flowers, check out the technicolor landscapes of the Netherlands as the tulips are blooming.