steven robinson_1968-2007.(obituary)(Obituary)

Byline: Andre Leon Talley

Steven Robinson, head of Dior and John Galliano design studios, died on April 1 in Paris. At the age of 38, Robinson was one of the unsung extraordinary talents of modern fashion history, Merlin-seer, adviser, loyal friend, confidant, and problem solver in all matters creative-to Galliano's King Arthur. The British national had gone to fashion school, then found his destiny sewing buttons as an intern for John Galliano in 1988. For two decades, Robinson-in his uniform of Lacoste shirts and jeans-was present at every turn in Galliano's brilliant career, which took him from Givenchy haute couture to Dior. "Working with Steven has been the greatest adventure and privilege of my career," Galliano said. "No one will ever replace him. I was too shy to come to Paris alone. Steven came, and he was by my side until the end. I hope to carry his light with me always." One of my best memories of living in Paris was a Sunday afternoon in August 1995, when I invited Steven and John to watch old Hollywood classics. I had no air-conditioning. With the French windows flung wide open, I selected the black-and-white 1935 film Alice Adams, starring Kate Hepburn and Hattie McDaniel as a maid who serves melted ice cream during a pretentious dinner one steamy evening. They both loved her presenting the dessert with a look of sheer disdain for her employers, and ran to the windows to howl like wolves at a full moon in imitation of McDaniel, "Dinner is served!"

And so on a beautiful spring day, I made my way to the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in ...