John Galliano

John Galliano
Born	John Charles Galliano (1960-11-28) November 28, 1960 Gibraltar
Occupation	Fashion designer
Years active	1984–present
Known for	Head designer at Givenchy (1995–1997), Dior (1997–2011), creative director at Maison Margiela (2014–2024)
Notable work	Dior Saddle bag, Les Incroyables collection

John Charles Galliano (born 28 November 1960) is a British fashion designer renowned for heading his own namesake brand as well as leading prominent French fashion houses such as Givenchy (1995–1997) and Dior (1997–2011). Between 2014 and 2024, he held the position of creative director at the Paris-based Maison Margiela. Galliano has been honored with the British Designer of the Year award on four occasions and was placed fifth among the most influential figures in British culture according to a 2004 BBC survey.

Early life and education

Galliano was born in Gibraltar to Juan Galliano, a Gibraltarian of Italian heritage, and Ana Guillén, who is Spanish. He has two sisters. At age six, his family moved to England, settling in South London areas including Streatham and Dulwich. Raised within a devout Catholic environment, he attended St. Anthony's Primary School followed by Wilson's Grammar School. He pursued fashion studies at Central Saint Martins, graduating in 1984 with first-class honors. His graduation collection, entitled Les Incroyables and inspired by the French Revolution, garnered critical acclaim and was entirely purchased by London boutique Browns for retail.

London

Galliano established his eponymous fashion label alongside collaborators Amanda Harlech, then a stylist at Harpers and Queen, and milliner Stephen Jones. The brand initially received financial support from Johan Brun and subsequently from Danish businessman Ole Peder Bertelsen of Aguecheek. Despite this backing, the London-based enterprise encountered financial difficulties culminating in bankruptcy.

Paris

In 1989, Galliano moved to Paris aiming to secure funding and broaden his clientele. Moroccan designer Faycal Amor, owner of Plein Sud, provided crucial support by offering studio space at Plein Sud’s headquarters. That same year, Galliano presented his debut show at Paris Fashion Week.

Galliano collaborated with fashion personality Susannah Constantine and championed emerging talents including shoe designer Patrick Cox. In 1991, he created costumes for Kylie Minogue’s Let's Get to It Tour.

Following the termination of his financial arrangement with Amor in 1993, Galliano was unable to present a collection for an important season. Assistance came from American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and European correspondent for Vanity Fair, André Leon Talley, who introduced him to Portuguese socialite São Schlumberger as well as venture capitalists John Bult and Mark Rice of Arbela Inc. This alliance provided vital financial resources along with high-profile endorsement, significantly elevating Galliano’s status in Parisian fashion circles. The resulting collection is regarded as a defining moment that established Galliano as a leading figure within the industry.

Givenchy

In July 1995, Bernard Arnault, proprietor of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, appointed Galliano as the head designer at Givenchy, making him the first British designer to lead a French haute couture house. Galliano's inaugural couture presentation for Givenchy took place on 21 January 1996 at the Stade de France and was met with considerable acclaim. Some of his Givenchy designs were adapted into licensed patterns by Vogue Patterns. Following his exit, Galliano was replaced by Alexander McQueen, whose muse, socialite Annabelle Neilson, had also inspired Galliano.

Dior

In October 1996, LVMH named Galliano creative director of Dior, succeeding Italian designer Gianfranco Ferré. Throughout his tenure, Galliano received extensive praise for both Haute Couture and ready-to-wear lines. Among his signature contributions was the introduction of the Dior Saddle bag in the Spring/Summer 2000 collection, which quickly became one of the most sought-after luxury handbags. Another standout piece was the chartreuse Chinoiserie gown worn by Nicole Kidman at the 69th Academy Awards in 1997.

The death of Galliano's close friend and longtime collaborator Steven Robinson in 2007 from a drug overdose profoundly impacted him. Robinson had played a key role in supporting Galliano’s creative vision and managing numerous events over twenty years.

Antisemitic incident and dismissal

In December 2010, a video captured a drunken Galliano making antisemitic remarks toward a group of Italian women in Paris. The footage resurfaced in February 2011, shortly before Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011/2012. Amid mounting public outrage and legal challenges, Dior terminated Galliano’s position as creative director.

Oscar de la Renta

By 2013, Galliano was regarded as having been "forgiven" by the fashion industry following a "two-year exile" and his public apologies. Early that year, at the invitation of Oscar de la Renta—facilitated by Anna Wintour—Galliano joined de la Renta's design studio temporarily to assist with the Fall 2013 ready-to-wear collection showcased at New York Fashion Week. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recognized his efforts toward redemption and supported his rehabilitation. The ADL also defended Galliano when the New York Post criticized his outfit en route to the show.

Galliano remained behind the scenes during this presentation, which garnered favorable reviews amid speculation about future roles, including potentially succeeding Oscar de la Renta or joining Parsons The New School for Design as faculty. On 12 June 2013, he gave his first recorded interview since departing Dior, expressing eagerness to resume designing and hoping for an opportunity to rebuild through atonement.

Maison Margiela

On 6 October 2014, John Galliano was announced by the OTB Group as the new creative director of Maison Margiela, marking his return to leadership within luxury fashion design. Shortly thereafter, at that year's British Fashion Awards, he presented the Outstanding Achievement Award to Anna Wintour, who wore his inaugural creation for Maison Martin Margiela—a significant endorsement from the Vogue Editor-in-Chief.

Galliano unveiled his first couture collection for Margiela during London Collections: Men on 12 January 2015. In 2018, influenced by conversations with Penélope Cruz and PETA’s Dan Mathews, he announced that future collections would be fur-free.

On 26 September 2018, Galliano introduced Mutiny, his debut fragrance for Maison Margiela, marking an expansion into luxury perfumes. He left Maison Margiela in December 2024.

Around December 2010, while intoxicated at Paris bar La Perle, Galliano directed antisemitic insults at a group of Jewish women, stating: "I love Hitler... People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers would all be fucking gassed." This video emerged again in February 2011 just before the Autumn/Winter Paris Fashion Week.

On 25 February 2011, Dior announced Galliano’s suspension, declaring:

Due to the particularly reprehensible nature of John Galliano’s behavior and comments revealed in a video made public on Monday, Dior has immediately suspended him and initiated dismissal proceedings.

Reactions within show business were divided. Dior ambassador Natalie Portman condemned Galliano’s remarks as "deeply shocking" and severed ties with him. Conversely, Dior model and actress Eva Green suggested his actions were drunken errors rather than expressions of antisemitism.

Galliano denied these accusations via his lawyer and pursued defamation claims against those involved. On 1 March 2011, Dior formally began terminating his contract; CEO Sidney Toledano publicly denounced Galliano’s statements. Despite this controversy, Dior maintained financial support for the Galliano brand under license and appointed Bill Gaytten as creative director for both Dior and Galliano lines.

Given that antisemitic speech is illegal in France, Galliano faced trial in Paris starting on 22 June 2011 for allegedly uttering antisemitic remarks in a café. His defense attributed these outbursts to "work-related stress and multiple addictions," also citing the impact of Steven Robinson’s death on his mental health.

On 8 September 2011, Galliano was convicted and received a suspended fine totaling €6,000.

Further legal proceedings

On 21 November 2013, the Paris Court of Appeals dismissed Christian Dior Couture SA's request to move the dispute from the Labour Court and mandated that both Christian Dior Couture SA and John Galliano SA compensate Galliano with €2,500 plus legal fees. Although Galliano had claimed damages near €6 million, he was unsuccessful in the labour court and was required to pay each party €1.

Honours

• Recipient of the British Designer of the Year award in 1987, 1994, 1995, and 1997; notably sharing the 1997 accolade with Alexander McQueen, who succeeded him at Givenchy.
• Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2001 for his contributions to fashion, an honour conferred at Buckingham Palace.
• Inducted as a RDI in 2002 in recognition of his impact on fashion.
• Listed on The Independent on Sunday 2007 "pink list" as one of the most influential gay personalities in Britain.
• Awarded the French Legion of Honour in 2009; this distinction was later revoked by presidential decree in 2012 amid controversy.

Personal life

In 2010, Galliano emphasized his enthusiasm for theatre and femininity as fundamental inspirations behind his creations, acknowledging Standard Oil heiress Millicent Rogers as an influence. He was romantically involved with fellow Central Saint Martins graduate and designer John Flett, whom he regarded as his soulmate. Presently, Galliano resides in Paris with his long-term partner Alexis Roche, a style consultant. He maintains a vegetarian diet for health reasons, explaining to French Elle that minimizing toxins enhances his energy levels.

External links

• Official website of John Galliano S.A., a company no longer employing Mr. Galliano