What's Next in John Galliano's Career?

[kimair]

PARIS — John Galliano, ousted as Dior’s couturier last month amidst mounting evidence of anti-Semitic and racist outbursts, has also been formally sacked from the fashion company that bears his name, WWD has learned.

According to sources, the 17-year-old firm’s board recently met and decided to eject the maverick British designer.

Meanwhile, Christian Dior SA, which owns 91 percent of the Galliano house, has received unsolicited expressions of interest in the business from several of its Italian licensing partners, including sportswear maker Ittierre SpA and Perfume Holding, sources said.

It is understood a sale of the company is not an immediate priority, and no banks have been mandated to sell it, nor has financial data been made available to interested parties, also said to include a Chinese group and a firm from the Middle East.

Enrico Ceccato, president and chief executive officer of Perfume Holding, denied interest in acquiring the Galliano business, insisting the company is dedicated to fragrances only.

Antonio Bianchi, owner of Albisetti, which now controls Ittierre, said he is discussing ways to generate new and more extensive agreements “given the optimal relationship” the company already enjoys with the Galliano house.

It is understood the in-house design team at John Galliano, which shares members with Dior’s, will be charged with producing collections at a house prized for bias-cut dresses, newspaper prints and retro-tinged tailoring. A pre-spring collection is already said to be in the works.

The Dior fashion house reacted swiftly at the first hint of trouble with its prize couturier. Police briefly detained Galliano on Feb. 24 following an altercation with a couple at Paris cafe La Perle. Dior, citing its zero-tolerance policy for racism and anti-Semitism, suspended him the following day.

Shortly after, an amateur video surfaced showing an inebriated Galliano spewing insults and declaring in a slurred voice, “I love Hitler,” prompting Dior to commence dismissal procedures, parting ways with its prize couturier after a glorious 15-year career.

Yet there was never any explicit mention of Galliano’s fate at his signature house, which always lived in the shadow of Dior and never attained the same level of critical mass.

Galliano is to stand trial on a charge of public insult at the High Court here, which is expected on May 12 to set the date for the proceedings. The designer could face months in prison and a fine of 22,500 euros, or $31,271 at current exchange.

Galliano has denied the allegations against him, apologized for his behavior and also stated plans to pursue a claim of defamation, insult and menace filed against two of his accusers.

According to sources, the designer recently competed an “intensive” one-month treatment at a rehabilitation center in Arizona and is now in extended “after care.”

wwd / april 15, 2011

 

[Lackuiew]

Poor John, he doesnt deserve this

 

[Psylocke]

^I think he DOES deserve this and yet it's still very sad and I do feel bad for him. Didn't expect this, tbh. But I could see why Christian Dior SA would do this. I recently saw a nice Galliano top in an outlet that had the John Galliano logo all over it and I thought to myself that I could never wear this because everyone would think I'd support racism if I was to wear it. I don't think it's possible to not associate the name and brand Galliano with everything that happened this February so I could see why Dior had to go all or nothing in this case. They either should have supported him and tried to redeem his reputation (or at least not further destroy it by calling him guilty before he had a chance to defend himself) or cut all strings and drop everything Galliano-related. Too bad for the fashion world that they went for the latter.

 

[Breathless]

this is one tough cookie to chew! On one hand I want him to still create and design beautiful clothes and deal with this as a personal matter. But since it is all in the public eye, it makes it so hard to look at his designs and not think about what he said. *sigh*

 

[lady stardust]

he don't deserve this..
i'm so tired of this ****, he's been burnt out and have apologized for what he said
what more can he do?

 

[The_Ida]

he don't deserve this..
i'm so tired of this ****, he's been burnt out and have apologized for what he said
what more can he do?

Agreed. He's obviously not a racist. He's a mentally ill poor old man.

 

[Toccata]

I recently saw a nice Galliano top in an outlet that had the John Galliano logo all over it and I thought to myself that I could never wear this because everyone would think I'd support racism if I was to wear it.

You don't have to worry, I don't think people will think you support racism. But if they did, you'd have a good case against it:

It's okay to separate the man from his creative achievements:
Richard Wagner (Opera Composer) was an outspoken anti-semite,
but how many couples leave the church to his wedding theme!?

Or admire someone for their good qualities:
Gandhi (Activist) was a racist and misogynist but is held in high-regard as a hero of humanity.

If Galliano slurs out expletives while drunk and deeply depressed, it may be
he has hit such a low-point emotionally (and morally) that he'll say the worst
possible things he can think of as a way of reaching out to hurt others.
There's a difference between acting like a racist and being one.
He said, 'I love Hitler' but if you said 'prove it!' could he while sober, or
was he just trying to upset someone else? That's playground stuff.
If he's writing essays or speaking-out pro-actively with intentions
or firm beliefs (as in Wagner and Gandhi) then he has the potential to be
dangerous. These companies should have condemned his behaviour but
kept everything on hold until he goes to prison or is charged.

But either way, I think his career will recover only after many years, if at all, so you
might want to buy the Galliano top as a collector's item.

 

[The_Ida]

Hugo Boss did the uniforms for the SS, yet no one seems to mind wearing Hugo Boss now. There are lots of examples of this, yet nobody seem to mind. But THIS they go crazy over?!

 

[Psylocke]

^^
^

IMO, The problem is that it became such a big thing because of the way Dior handled things. They basically proclaimed him a racist in their official statement and by firing him and that's why everyone automatically associates John Galliano with racism. People aren't educated enough in fashion to know about what Hugo Boss or whoever did years ago but the Galliano thing is recent and thanks to the internet stories like that become huge and widely known. And of course tabloids wouldn't report "John Galliano made racist remarks but it might have been because he has a mental illness and was drunk". It was just "Galliano is a racist, period". And as sad as it is, tons of people actually believe tabloid stories or at least don't question them so it doesn't matter what the reason for his outburst was, for the next few years he'll just be the anti-semitic designer to most people.

 

[Whats Ur Name]

I think they're stretching this a bit..

 

[Littleathquakes]

i know, people want him crucified for a mistake he made.

 

[rayoflight]

This is so stupid, I know he messed up, but no one deserves this. It's not like caused economic meltdown or stole babies for satanic rituals, all this fuss over drunk statements he apologized over. Somehow makes me question not only John's mental health, but all the other people's involved as well.

 

[The_Ida]

This is so stupid, I know he messed up, but no one deserves this. It's not like caused economic meltdown or stole babies for satanic rituals, all this fuss over drunk statements he apologized over. Somehow makes me question not only John's mental health, but all the other people's involved as well.

...

"You're ugly and your f*cking romper suit is ugly too"

I'm sorry. Couldn't help it.

 

[Master Wood]

poor poor John. This is horrendous. All this time, money and talent will just be turned into some greedy licensing job that will tear apart any creativity the house had remaining. I hope he does a roland mouret and trades under another name whilst working on getting his back. I genuinely think that is the cruelest thing you could do to a creative man and the suits at Dior spa couldn't give a t**s about it.

 

[Empress Merel]

I don't support his racism at all, but nice way of kicking someone when he's down. Can't help but feel sorry for Galliano. I hope he will return to fashion somehow and get rid of whatever (mental or what it is) problem that is bothering him.

 

[modela]

I think they should just give John Galliano his namesake company back and move on.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Oh my...when it rains, it pours! I do think what he said, on several occasions is despicable! But at least he has shown remorse, and trying to get his life in order, so this is not nice to hear. He is a talented designer, why not sell his name back to him then?!

 

[Squizree]

I cant believe how ridiculous this is getting. So blown out of proportion

 

[mikeijames]

while i agree with the action taken here to get these two companies back on some sort of sure footing (words should have consequences), i don't know what customer base exists that would at one moment have enough awareness of fashion to want john galliano merchandise but would enjoy wearing it or buying it without the design genius of the designer himself.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

I believe Galliano deserved the removal from Dior, but I think firing him from his namesake line was a bad move. Imagine the comeback collection that could have been!