John Galliano is many things, but he has never been subtle. It’s no surprise, then, that the designer’s departure from Maison Margiela – after a decade at the helm of the brand owned by parent company OTB Group – has made waves in the fashion industry, although rumors of his impending departure have been growing louder for some time. But Galliano didn’t miss the chance to leave with a bang – in this case, in the form of a two-page letter reminiscent of a novella, he published his words on Instagram – just shortly after the fashion house confirmed his resignation in a joint statement on Wednesday evening had.
The end of Galliano’s time with Margiela, while he continues to “atone” for his past, also appears to mark the ultimate end of his successful rehabilitation. It seems as if the fashion world has decided to forgive his previous transgressions. For those too young to remember, or who have chosen to forget, the infamous “Galliano incident” of 2011 revolved around a video in which the designer – then creative director of Dior and as one one of the most eccentric and brilliant talents in the industry – who uttered anti-Semitic tirades towards guests in a Paris bar. The consequences were drastic: within days, despite his commercial and artistic success at Dior, Galliano was fired from the French luxury fashion house and largely rejected by the industry.
What followed was a stint in rehab, a stint with Jewish rights groups, and a failed attempt to become a lecturer at New York’s Parson’s School of Design in 2013, after a Change.org petition against Galliano’s teaching at the school attracted more than 2,100 supporters: found inside. But was fashion really ready to let a talent like Galliano fall by the wayside? Not quite as it seemed, and so in 2014 OTB CEO Renzo Rosso approached the disgraced creative; This began the second act of his career.
The path to reparation
Galliano’s first act – marked by his graduate collection ‘Les Incroyables’ at Central Saint Martins College, which was immediately picked up by London department store Browns, a brief stop at Givenchy and his legendary time at Dior – was as much about his personality as his creations . As mad hatter, showman and ‘enfant terrible’ – a title he shared with his contemporary rival and also torn mind Alexander McQueen – Galliano combined frenetic creativity with commercial success like no other.
While his commercial success continued at Margiela – according to WWD, Margiela’s annual sales increased from around 100 million to 500 million euros during his tenure – his personality took a back seat at Margiela. Much like Martin Margiela, who famously never showed his face and avoided the press, Galliano let his creations and talent speak for themselves. Suddenly he gave up the traditional final applause after his shows and also kept a low profile in terms of media, at least in the early years.
Instead, Galliano let his creations and talent speak for themselves, providing the industry with an undeniable and irrefutable insight: he is and remains one of the most prolific creatives the fashion world has ever seen – regardless of any scandals. It’s a realization that seems to resonate most with Galliano himself as he reflects on his decade at Margiela, thanking Rosso for giving him the opportunity to “rediscover his creative voice” when he had become voiceless. “My wings healed and I better understood the all-consuming act of creativity,” Galliano said in the statement.
And his creativity was all-encompassing during his time at Margiela. If Galliano ever had doubts about whether he was up to Margiela’s challenge – as his letter suggests – such doubts were not visible in his work. From the start, the designer seemed as committed as he was confident in his creative abilities, trading ostentatious shows devoted to spectacular romance and cultural exploration for an exploration of Margiela’s penchant for deconstruction and unconventional materials.
It didn’t take long for Galliano to step out of the shadow of the house’s popular founder – a challenge that most other designers would probably have failed at. But it took some time before his unbridled extravagance returned to the forefront of fashion.
That last ounce of restraint seemed to disappear in January, when he presented not just a collection but a show that, in many ways, represented a true return to form for fashion’s fallen dreamer. It is unclear whether Galliano already knew at the time that his spring 2024 collection would be his farewell greeting to Margiela. Still, it was a final major act that showcased his unique creative voice, inviting guests into a vault beneath Paris’s Pont Alexandre III bridge. There he conjured the illusion of a decaying nightclub, evoking memories of his glory days at Dior even before the show began.
When things got underway, the catwalk once again became his stage, with models bringing his romantic, provocative and often historically inspired visions to life. It was the kind of show destined to be immortalized on mood boards and cited in fashion schools for years to come. Only this time the appeal may be even greater, as there will be no sequel to this triumphant display – at least not at Margiela’s.
And so the speculation begins…
Looking back over the past year, Galliano has embarked on a spectacular third chapter of his career. Creatively, he has proven that his peak is not yet behind him, but perhaps still ahead of him. At the same time, “High & Low: John Galliano,” the long-awaited documentary about the designer directed by Kevin Macdonald and released earlier this year, was another attempt to atone for the mistakes of his past.
In the film, the designer reflected on his discriminatory comments, his exclusion from the industry and, perhaps for the first time, gave audiences a comprehensive look into his psyche – including his problems with alcohol and drugs. While not everyone thought addressing his past statements was enough, it was a clear sign that Galliano was not only ready to talk about his mistakes, but also to put them behind him. This was made clear not least by his statement in which he revealed for the first time that he has been sober for 14 years – to the day, because the anniversary of his sobriety coincided with his departure from Margiela.
Everything points to a new beginning after the designer, as he said, has learned to forgive himself for “perpetuating the stereotype that creativity must be fueled by alcohol and drugs.” With his team at Margiela, he has, as he says, “proven that creativity is never out of fashion. It is not driven by these destructive forces, but by a creative community that cares about and considers design.” But where do these communities exist, and where might the next chapter of his career take him, now that he is creatively and socially rehabilitated is?
The ultimate end to his fashion rehabilitation would undoubtedly be the rumors of a return to Dior. The thought of Galliano, the rejected son, returning to the house that cemented his status in the fashion world and was at the same time part of his decline – when he was fired from Dior and his eponymous brand in 2011, he was overseeing 32 collections a year – would be undeniably poetic. While his return to Dior is a theory favored by fashion magazine Miss Tweed, other publications such as FashionNetwork have been busy quoting insiders who have reportedly heard of his move to Fendi, where a successor to creative director Kim Jones has not yet been named. But there are many other luxury fashion houses currently looking for designers, so the possibilities seem almost endless.
If you believe the reactions in the comments to Galliano’s announcement post, then all of the designer’s future paths lead to Chanel. A fashion house that could use a dash of theatrics and a bit of magic – not to mention it’s a couture house. Galliano could continue to reinvent and introduce techniques like he did with Margiela. He has also proven once that he is not deterred by a looming legacy, as would undoubtedly be the case given Karl Lagerfeld’s omnipresent energy at Chanel. However, this is pure speculation, just like the rumors that Hedi Slimane, Simone Porte Jacquemus or Matthieu Blazy could be the next contenders for the throne of the renowned French fashion house.
Galliano himself seemed to be well aware of the rumor mill that his departure from Margiela would fuel, and if you read between the lines, he almost seems a little amused by it when he writes: “The rumors… Everyone wants know it, and everyone wants to dream. When the time is right, everything will be revealed.”