The ‘most disturbing fashion show in history’ once forced guests to walk out; used BDSM music, fetish themes

When it comes to fashion, there truly are no limits. Especially on the runway, where designers often let their imaginations run wild, transforming catwalks into whimsical gardens, dreamy landscapes, or art installations dripping in aesthetic brilliance. But did you know that in the 2000s, Dior held a fashion show so controversial and unsettling that it reportedly made guests walk out? It's still remembered as one of the most disturbing moments in fashion history. (Also read: Mango-inspired colours are dominating summer fashion in 2025: Here’s how to wear them )

A look back at Dior's disturbing 2000 Haute Couture show

Instagram user Evan Mathew recently took to the platform to share a now-viral video shedding light on Dior's infamous Haute Couture 2000 show. In the video, he says, “The freakiest part of the show wasn't even the looks, it was the sound effects, which were done by Jeremy Healy. Each look had its own sound. One you might recognise is Look No. 18. It's a little strange but nothing too crazy, right? Then you hit Looks #31 through #38, and you just hear the sounds of BDSM.”

He continues, "Remember, this is a Dior show. No one in the audience was expecting to hear that. And the cherry on top? You get to the final look, number #39, and you just hear this..." (cue a bizarre sound effect in the video). "If you're into fashion and haven't seen this show, I highly recommend you watch it. To be frank, they don't make shows like this anymore."

What made John Galliano's show so disturbing that guests walked out?

John Galliano's Fall/Winter 2000 Haute Couture collection for Dior was nothing short of a spectacle, a provocative blend of sin and sanctity that shocked even the most seasoned fashion insiders. It was an unapologetic blend of kink, camp, and couture that had the audience gasping in awe, squirming in discomfort, and, in some cases, storming out entirely.

The soundtrack, crafted by John Galliano’s longtime collaborator Jeremy Healy, was as daring and provocative as the collection itself. Alanis Morissette’s eerie ballad “Uninvited” pulsed through the venue, layered with the jarring sounds of cracking whips and breathy moans, an audio experience that scandalised at least one famous guest, according to L'Officiel.

As Healy recalled in a 2019 Another Magazine interview, “Steven Spielberg attended the show because he was considering John for a costume design project. But he was so appalled by the soundtrack that he got up and left.”

The runway turned into a parade of fetish fantasies: a sultry French maid, a skintight alligator dress complete with a reptilian headpiece, a haunting Day of the Dead-inspired ensemble adorned with skulls, and taboo-bending portrayals of a nurse and a nun. Galliano's models weren't just walking, they were embodying erotic archetypes, transforming into lovers, sinners, saints… and even beasts.

The line between human and creature, fashion and fantasy, was deliciously blurred. This fashion show was undeniably not for the faint-hearted.