John Galliano - Designer, Creative Director of Maison Margiela

[Creative]

But in the particular case of John Galliano that is simply untrue, no? Especially this year. People talked about that show for weeks, they still do. We all do, look at us! Debating about this man for months and months on end. He will never not be relevant to the fashion conversation.

Indeed! This year has been Galliano’s comeback for sure. But it’s a comeback like Tom Ford’s. He is back in the fashion conversation, but we talk more about his glory days, we admire his previous work, we talk about the genius he was… It has to do more with remembering the past and with the nostalgia than about the fact that he might be doing something that has l’air du temps and that is at his peak of brilliance. In fact, for me his Margiela is all “reprints” of his previous work, which is fair and ok, but I’m not gonna see a Margiela show as excited as I saw his pre2008 Dior shows.

It’s a little bit like the late YSL shows from the 90s and 00s. Now we see them and we admire them, and there’s something I truly like now that couldn’t appreciate back in 2002. But they were the last irrelevant phase of a genius. Even if I like them now, even if I find super charming how demodé , how personal and impossible to imitate they were, his peak and his glory days are not the 90s and the 00s.

In Galliano’s case, I think it’s more about giving him the place he deserves in fashion, smartly orchestrated by Anna, than people admiring his current work (which could also be the case for some), but I guess that if someone witnessed his 00s shows, what he is doing now tastes like Pepsi with a lot of water for someone who is used to drink Coke.

 

[gallianostan]

i'm also prepared to accept that steven robinson may have been the magic ingredient... it's awfully coincidental that dior was set on an immediate downward incline the moment he passed away. i wish we could've seen him become a brilliant designer in his own right instead of being shackled to john forever. oh well

 

[Creative]

That said, I’d be happy for John to go to Givenchy. It would be something I’d like to see. I’d love a very lady like era, very French bourgeois, 60s inspired, less “conceptual” and try-hard (don’t mean it in a bad way) than his Margiela.

I can even imagine the accessories.

 

[gallianostan]

this collection was his absolute peak. funny how it ended up being his most controverisal. i genuinely think it's the most sublime piece of work he's ever done. if he can get back to this, he'd be untouchable in my eyes.

 

[MagFan]

todays Galliano stans

 

[gallianostan]

todays Galliano stans

omg le matrix

 

[jeanclaude]

todays Galliano stans

The Matrix collection! I have to say I am shocked to see Dior lend Haute Couture looks to make a video...with mud!

 

[tricotineacetat]

Lmao, don’t be ridiculous 🤣 You think the only fashion designers alive are the very famous ones or the ones that just graduated? Fashion is a huge industry with many talented people inside.

In fact, all of those designers were also young once and looking for an opportunity after graduating.

I would dare to say there's been a huge difference in creative nurturing and upbringing between the designers who were mostly growing up in an analogue way and the current crop of graduates and behind-the-scenes talents who are now in their 20ies and 30ies, who gained their knowledge mostly from digital source material. You might consider that a rant from somebody of "the older generation", but I firmly believe having to get your hands dirty, having to see things for yourself and in person makes a huge difference than flipping through images on ptinterest or Instagram in the formation of your aesthetics. Also, once Rei, Yohji, Dries or John have stepped down, who will be left on the scene to aspire and learn from?

This goes hand in hand with how fashion courses are run and to what industry environment graduates are being released to upon graduation. When we look at how some of the leading fashion courses were run, with famous professors like Louise Wilson at CSM or Linda Loppa at the Royal Academy in Antwerp, designers were nurtured more conceptually and to the aim for them to find their very own artistic identity, which lead for a lot of them to start their own collections - This lead to the early 2000s spawning new exciting designers by the year and I would wholeheartedly say that anyone from Peter Pilotto and Christoffer de Vos, Marios Schwab or even Mary Katrantzou were better designers than any of the recent people who found their way into the limelight. Olivier Theyskens, Lee Alexander McQueen or Hussein Chalayan, who are exceptional talents more in the way of an artist, are rare occurances, very much the exception from the rule.

I think the only designer with exceptional promise today would probably be Michael Stewart of Standing Ground who is now a finalist for the LVMH prize.

 

[tricotineacetat]

Fashion people act sometimes like poorly-informed hooligans.

McQueen was like 27 when he started at Givenchy, Theyskens like 26 when he did Rochas, Tisci like 30 when he did Givenchy, Nicolas 25 when he was hired at Balenciaga…

No designer is relevant for more 10 years working at the highest level. It’s impossible. I’m sad for you guys, but those names from the 00s have nothing else to say anymore. The only ones that managed to last a bit more (KL aside) are Phoebe and Hedi, but those are exceptions. Not even Tom Ford (even if I adore him).

Also, fashion people, when they like somebody, they are so biased and blind. I could always be objetive with my fav ones (Nicolas, Lang, Tom, Elbaz, Phoebe, Hedi, Theyskens, Galliano, Pilati). I don’t get why people act like stans.

My response to you is simple - I would dare to say any of the clothes from the aforementioned designers are far superior than if I had to pick something from the designers who followed them.

Who would want Bruno Sialelli's Lanvin when you can have Alber Elbaz? Sabato de Sarno's Gucci when you could wear archive Tom Ford? Or original Helmut Lang / Jil Sander in comparison to Peter Do's or Lucie and Luke Meier's?

I find the word of 'relevance' is overused when we talk about the quality of fashion design today when we already know that it's very much connected to the ability to pick up steam, generate hype and ultimately, translate into sales. We are at an age where the existance of independently-financed designer brands are decreasing by the year and the dominance of luxury conglomerates has made fashion design become a very corporate affair, where you get the impression too many people have a say in the end result.

 

[tourbillions]

i think not everyone wants to consume fashion only because its "very now" or "relevant". Liking designers/artists is very different from "stanning". Stanning is when you follow what is relevant and become a die hard fan until they lose popularity and you move on to the next hyped thing. Most people here who want the veteran designers back in big houses, just want to see their aesthetic back and to be able to buy clothes closer to our style than what's currently being offered. Not like we want to replace jacquemus/loewe/bottega, I'm sure they can coexist with some of the veterans.

The main problem is that none of the new generation of designers are really delivering, atleast for the bigger houses. And someone like Maximillian Davis is delivering the fashion but he is struggling because of poor business decisions at Ferregamo. Same can be said about Daniel Lee at Burberry.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

todays Galliano stans

WHAT is this it is not available in my country 😡

 

[TianCouture]

same i need to know what this video is!!!

 

[MagFan]

WHAT is this it is not available in my country 😡

​

Swastika Eyes by Primal Scream music video with models wearing matrix couture looks

 

[gallianostan]

this video is fabulous omgggdfhf i'm actually obsessed

 

[tourbillions]

todays Galliano stans

offers more fashion than sds and mcgirrr could ever dream of

 

[Frederic01]

Just finished watching "High and Low" and although the film presents the relationship between Galliano and LVMH but also Galliano and Sidney Toledano as quite complex, it does seem like they're prepping him for some kind of return to the LVMH stable. I mean, the fact that Toledano extended an invitation to John to visit the Dior Archives after everything that happened. It was quite a touching moment.

 

[KoV]

I’m incredibly out of the loop so maybe this was already addressed on here, but are the rumors true that Kering wants him for Balenciaga? Anyone have any idea?

 

[gallianostan]

I’m incredibly out of the loop so maybe this was already addressed on here, but are the rumors true that Kering wants him for Balenciaga? Anyone have any idea?

where have you heard this?

 

[Grets]

Be it Givenchy, Balenciaga or wherever, it feels like there is a comeback in the making. Anna is at least eager to keep a spotlight on him and he's kind of the last of his kind from that era of McQueen, Gaultier, Westwood, etc. It would be interesting to see him at a legacy house again and while not the same, Allessandro Michele is coming back to fashion. Fashion's pendulum needs to swing in another direction.

 

[Vladimir Nabovok]

Any advice on how to access Bloomsbury Fashion Central?

I've inquired about an individual subscription, and they don't do them. They're only accessible through an institution.

Many people around here has access to it... gatekeeping is fun I guess