When the runway presentation of Dior's fall/winter 2011 ready-to-wear collection takes place in Paris this Friday, John Galliano will be noticeably absent. Mr. Galliano, who designed for the venerable French fashion house since 1997, has been dismissed by Dior's chief executive Sidney Toledano after allegations of anti-Semitic remarks including a video that appeared on Monday. “We unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior,” Mr. Toledano said in a written statement.
The decision was reached after two separate incidents involving Mr. Galliano. Police have already questioned witnesses at La Perle, the bar located in Paris where a video captured Mr. Galliano saying “I love Hitler” and “your mothers, your forefathers … would all be gassed.
In France, inciting racial hatred is against the law. Mr. Galliano has now retained London lawyer Gerrard Tyrrell who defended model Kate Moss who was accused of alleged cocaine use in 2005 (the charges were ultimately dropped).
His departure from Dior marks the second loss of a designer overseeing a major fashion house in just over a year. But unlike the suicide of Alexander McQueen last February, the shockwaves being felt through the industry are as tinged with outrage as sadness.
“The era of star designers is drawing to a close,” wrote Canadian fashion historian and London-based journalist Bronwyn Cosgrave via e-mail yesterday.
Like Mr. McQueen, the 50-year-old designer, who also designs a namesake collection, has always been recognized – even celebrated – as an enfant terrible. FashionTelevision's Jeanne Beker recalls several occasions when he appeared “a little volatile” and like a “loose cannon.”
“There are obviously times when I'd seen him indulge too much,” she said by phone, noting that she first met the designer as far back as 1994, before he was appointed to design for Givenchy. “Several seasons back, he was ranting to me like crazy about the red carpet. I thought, this will make for good television but the Dior people pleaded with me not to use it … and subsequently every time, there was always someone crouched down behind camera listening to exactly what he said.”
While Ms. Beker was effusive in her appraisal of the designer for his “sense of incredible drama, theatricality, superb technical craftsmanship and artistry,” she joined others in condemning his comments.
Yet Ms. Beker, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, still plans to attend the runway show even while admitting to being unsure about how to handle her coverage. “Definitely most everyone will go to see the show as it is the last of a designer who was an acknowledged master, no matter his mind state,” Ms. Cosgrove said.
Dior's ouster of its top designer came after actress Natalie Portman, who is signed as the face of Miss Dior Cherie perfume, released a statement on Monday night that read, “I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano's comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way.”
Perhaps not surprisingly, there is some debate as to whether the Spanish-born British designer was provoked by the people in the bar. Some of his supporters have used Twitter to come to his defence.
Canadian supermodel Jessica Stam wrote Tuesday, “I love Jews and what he said was awful, but also sad to watch him leave Dior.”
Patricia Field, the eccentric fashion designer famous for creating the costumes for Sex and the City sent an e-mail blast to 500 friends and media. She also posted the message, titled In Praise of John Galliano to Facebook. “Beauty, intelligence and energy would describe the John as I know him,” she wrote. “Where in this trilogy could one find hate? I ask you. My second question is …What exactly did he say? And the third is … What is really going on here??”
Hugo Nicholson is the sole Toronto boutique that carries Dior ready-to-wear. Carole Rosenstein, who owns the Yorkville store with her sister Eleanore, says that they’ve always had “hardcore Dior customers” and that his pieces have always sold strongly. Their decision to carry future collections will depend on who takes over.
Whereas devotees snapped up Mr. McQueen's Spring 2010 collection within days of his death, it's unclear whether the current controversy will negatively affect Dior's sales.