funny thing is that, although that might have been true a few seasons ago. With just 1 show, he proved he is still as relevant as ever. Besides, the landscape of fashion is totally different now. Most people who are following him since the last Margiela show probably had an idea of who he was but they were not following or didnt have access to Dior's Galliano days at that moment. Fashion used to be a lot more private and those who were part of and over gallianos past-hype are probably much less than those who are just rediscovering him and wanting to have a chance to be a part of his margiela.
Are we really equating tom ford to galliano?
Another example is that even people who only hear of Mcqueen from song lyrics and has 0 idea of who the man was and that he has not been running the house for a long time are longing for that type of fashion he brought.
The current consumer/hypebeast crowd will always love fashion that challenge the senses. That's why micheles gucci worked, demnas balenciaga, jw andersons loewe, roseberrys schiaparelli. But they need to evolve as well otherwise this crowd will move on to the next shiny thing as fast as they stanned the first one.
I don’t think there’s a question of « relevance » when we talk about iconic legendary designers who have shifted the fashion conversation.
I think what he has done at Margiela so far has proven that his work still resonate with people. His clothes or at least what he has proposed for Margiela RTW were fresh, fresher than the Couture that went viral.
Fortunately, designers who have shifted the conversation regarding fashion in the 2000’s have managed to be somehow relevant. They may have past their prime but their work has remained timeless and a source of inspiration for many.
The Margiela Couture show was a moment in fashion but doesn’t contribute at all in the relevance or not of John Galliano. He is not going to change the way people dress like he did at his prime and it’s good.
It is the same for Tom Ford. He was past his prime but his contribution to fashion has allowed him to create a brand that has a cultural relevance (and he contributed in changing the way some men dressed too).
But it’s the same thing with Hedi, Nicolas, Phoebe, Miuccia and others.
We may have the fashion we deserve but the leading voice today is a JW Anderson, a Demna (even if the wave is dying), an Alessandro, a Daniel Roseberry, a Vaccarello and all the children of Phoebe Philo.
I think designers have totally integrated the fact that everything has been done but the answer is not to chase Nostalgia.
We are in the period of fashion recycling itself, from people buying vintage, photographers recycling VI editorial and defining it as their aesthetic. Suddenly a Galliano show that is not relevant in our lives is somehow part of that conversation.
I don’t know if Galliano wants to live in his past as some of his fans wants him to though. The Couture he showed was almost him in autopilot but do women wants to look like that today? I don’t think so…
And he is a designer who has changed the way women dresses.
