John Galliano - Designer, Creative Director of Maison Margiela

[lookatme]

The only thing I love about John’s interviews is that he is one of the few designers who really gets to talk about his work and passion. Nobody tries to over intellectualize things or even touch on culture as a whole with him. I like to hear designers talk about their craft.

He always seems like he is performing for me anyway. When he wears his suit, he is on representation so…

Great point.

I think the reason why no one else is ever asked about the actual craft of their designs is that no other designers really have the capacity or interest! They wouldn't know what to say if asked!

 

[Lola701]

Great point.

I think the reason why no one else is ever asked about the actual craft of their designs is that no other designers really have the capacity or interest! They wouldn't know what to say if asked!

I think a lot of designers, established designers would.
Sometimes interviewers are so caught up with asking about inspirations rather than talking about techniques and fabrics.
People sometimes expect the creative process to be methodical when most of the times it can be chaotic, start from one image or feeling and then evolve to something else.

I think Roseberry would be interesting to hear from. I think Ghesquiere, Philo and others would be interesting to hear too.

I’ve always said that you recognized a true designer only when he/she talks about fabrics. When a designer talks about fabrics, it means that she/he has a geek approach to the thing, push fabrics development and is interested about the making of things as much as the look.

 

[Alquimista]

The first Artisanal collections before Galliano are still unbeatable to me.

Galliano has that horrible sin of his generation - he overdesign everything. It makes his clothes suffocating.

 

[alwaysademo]

I want Katerina Jebb to be responsible for his ads. she would knock it out of the park. I've seen his last couture collection being photographed 1000 times and nobody gets it right. Katerina would. their artistic qualities are very in sync.

 

[PDFSD]

The first Artisanal collections before Galliano are still unbeatable to me.

Galliano has that horrible sin of his generation - he overdesign everything. It makes his clothes suffocating.

true true but the last Artisanal was most accomplished marriage between him and the house of Margiela

 

[Marc10]

Not sure how reliable the source is, but...

 

[Salvatore]

Oh.
Total speculation I feel ! But if he does, that will be absolutely INSANE. Is Mary Grace's contract up ?

 

[susseinmcswanny]

ENOUGH

 

[Thefrenchy]

Would kind of love to see that, to be honest.

 

[Lola701]

That would be terrible for me…
Not that I care so much about Dior but basta with the nostalgia for god sake!

Oh.
Total speculation I feel ! But if he does, that will be absolutely INSANE. Is Mary Grace's contract up ?

She joined Dior in 2016 so whether she signed a 3 years or 5 years contract, it was probably already renewed.

 

[Vikingtop]

If it is true, LVMH could move Maria Grazia Chiuri to Fendi

Her Family lives in Rome and Fendi is not successfull enough under Kim Jones

 

[Thefrenchy]

^ These rumours of MGC wanting to go back to Rome / getting Fendi have been around for quite a while, that wouldn't surprise me.

 

[fenty]

Yes MGC go back to Italy!

 

[style_expert]

I think Fendi needs way more than what MGC can possibly give but since her commercial performance at Dior, I can see it happening.

I think Galliano would be more suitable for Givenchy and Sarah Burton should be at Dior…

I think there’s definitely some truth to Galliano returning to LVMH but to Dior? I get it in terms of redemption/full circle kind of publicity stories but beyond that short PR cycle not sure if it’s a smart strategy.

 

[PDFSD]

Miss tweed
Galliano is leaving Margiela, could be heading to Dior
Astrid Wendlandt
21/07/24

John Galliano does not plan to renew his five-year contract with Maison Margiela when it ends in October and could be heading back to his former employer LVMH, and more specifically Dior, several sources with knowledge of the matter said. If Galliano does return to the storied French house after being sacked in 2011 for anti semitic rants, it would send a strong message of forgiveness from LVMH and embody the most beautiful comeback the fashion world has ever seen, they said.


"It would be absolutely amazing to see Galliano come back to Dior," said one senior industry source who was informed of the talks. "He would inject magic into the brand. It's also a strong redemption story."


Conde Nast global content officer and fashion power broker Anna Wintour, Galliano's long-standing supporter and adviser, is said to have aptly maneuvered to initiate talks with LVMH CEO and controlling shareholder Bernard Arnault and his daughter Delphine, who runs Dior and helps the group recruit designers, the sources said.


LVMH declined to confirm the potential move.


There are a lot of discussions going on with top designers these days as the spending downturn is forcing big luxury groups to fight for the best creative talents. They are desperate for new ideas and ready to invest lavish sums and in the case of Galliano with Dior, even forgive the unforgivable - to reinject some dream and desirability into their brands with the hope of boosting sales.


Dior has enjoyed a spectacular rise in the past five years but like every big brand, it's seen its revenue decline in recent months. Several luxury groups including LVMH, Prada, Zegna and Kering are due to publish half-year results next week. Analysts expect they will show the extent to which the spending downturn has hit even the biggest names - something few thought could happen given how resilient the industry has been in the past 30 years.


Galliano's return to Dior would give the French brand fresh impetus - which is what is needed as industry analysts predict global demand for luxury goods will remain weak for at least another year. Trading is tough in China and in Europe and aspirational consumers in the U.S. continue to keep their purse strings tight. Against this background, the merry-go-round of designers is only going to gather pace in the months to come.


Sarah Burton, who left Kering's McQueen last fall after more than two decades, is finalizing her contract to join LVMH's Givenchy with help from newly appointed CEO Alessandro Valenti, industry sources have said.

Meanwhile, Michael Rider is expected to replace Hedi Slimane at Celine. Slimane's exit from Celine was first reported by Miss Tweed in early April.


It's not clear who will replace Virginie Viard after her abrupt exit from the brand last month. If Galliano does not clinch a deal with Bernard Arnault, LVMH's CEO and controlling shareholder, could the designer be heading to Chanel? Or will it be Hedi Slimane going to the French luxury powerhouse? Or someone internally at Chanel who would bring continuity - like Viard did after Lagerfeld passed away in 2019? Chanel's owners, the Wertheimer family, are likely to take their time to appoint a new creative director, industry insiders predict. Somehow, it's difficult to see the Wertheimer's wanting to hire Galliano in light of what he has done - but in fashion, anything is possible.


LET DOWN


Galliano leaving Margiela is a huge let-down for Renzo Rosso, chairman of OTB, the Italian group that owns Margiela. Rosso gave Galliano a new lifeline, a precious second chance after he was lambasted for being caught in a video making antisemitic remarks in a Paris bar while inebriated. Rosso allowed him to pursue his art and show he truly is a fashion genius. "Galliano is way above everyone else in terms of creativity and vision," one person close to LVMH said.


Aged 63, Galliano is one of the last couturiers who still draw. Most other creative directors decide on a theme and a story and tell their teams what to draw and create. Wild imagination, real craftsmanship and theatrical collections are among Galliano's many qualities.


Galliano's last show was ranked the best during the last ready-to-wear Paris Fashion Week in March. His collection staged in a bar under a bridge sought to explore the idea of the underbelly of Paris, creating a Toulouse-Lautrec meets Tim Burton atmosphere.


The designer made a strong impression not only with the incredible setting but also with the clothes, the make-up and the way the models moved - as if they were from another dimension.


Galliano introduced a new silhouette, with corsets and curvy shapes for buxom ladies. There were also lots of lace and see-through outfits. A triumph. At the end of the show, fashion editors and buyers unanimously thumped their feet while applauding - something you rarely see, especially among the seen-it-all, done-it-all crowd that attend fashion shows.


A spokeswoman for OTB declined to comment on Galliano's departure. She wrote to Miss Tweed in an email: "As you know - and it is normal in our industry - there are always a lot of rumors when creative talents are concerned. All we can say is that the relations between John Galliano, Maison Margiela, and our group chairman Renzo Rosso are very good."


While at Margiela and before at Dior, the Gibraltar-born designer earned a reputation for being a tyrant and treating his teams harshly. He's mellowed out with age, people who work with him say. Several members of his design team have already started looking for new job opportunities, two headhunters told Miss Tweed. "They say they want to explore options because they know that John is going to leave but they don't know exactly when," one of them said.


Galliano joined Margiela a decade ago and gave the brand a coolness and edginess it did not really have since its founder, the discreet Martin Margiela, left in 2009. He will be sorely missed. Martin Margiela, the Belgian founder of the brand, is regarded as a designer who really reinvented fashion in the 1990s, celebrating minimalism, ample shapes and importing from Japan the tabi shoe with a split between the big toe and the other toes. Galliano really helped Margiela move forward while remaining faithful to himself, a tour de force which only a few designers can achieve. "Galliano really reinvented Margiela, it's going to be really tough for the brand when he leaves but Renzo is already looking for a replacement," the senior industry source with first-hand knowledge of the matter said.


HOMECOMING


If Galliano did really come back to Dior after Burton started at Givenchy, it would be a double homecoming of sorts for both. Alexander McQueen worked for Givenchy between 1996 and 2001, replacing Galliano, and created wonders while he was at the brand. Burton brilliantly perpetuated McQueen's style after Lee Alexander passed away in 2010.


She lives and breathes McQueen. Hence, she will infuse the McQueen spirit into Givenchy once again. That should produce interesting results, particularly in couture, fashion critics predict. Givenchy has been without a strong identity for many years now and Burton's arrival should remedy this.


The fact that brands keep hiring the same designers again and again shows how difficult it is to find talents, creatives with a strong point of view and a sixth sense for guessing what consumers really want. The bigger the business, the more risk-averse shareholders are and the more inclined they are to stick to big names with a strong track record.


HAUTE COUTURE


If their appointments are confirmed, Burton and Galliano would infuse new life into the haute couture of Givenchy and Dior respectively - essential for a brand's perception of exclusivity. Maria Grazia Chiuri has helped Dior more than triple sales since she joined in 2016. The Italian designer has made the brand much more accessible from a style point of view and revamped best-selling bags such as the Saddle and the Book. Her couture collections have been well received but they do not have the flamboyance Galliano could potentially give them.


Chiuri is a natural-born merchandiser who has produced many successful collections and shows for Dior. She is one of the only creative directors at a big brand like Dior to have what is called in France a contrat à durée indéterminée, a contract with no end date, head-hunters say. That will not prevent Arnault from parting ways with her in "good fashion." It's only a question of money, people close to the group say.


"It will take at least six months to a year for Chiuri to leave Dior," one source with knowledge of the talks said. If Chiuri did indeed leave Dior, she would not remain unemployed for very long. Before Dior, Chiuri did a great job at Valentino, where she worked for 17 years alongside Pierpaolo Piccioli who left in March, replaced by ex-Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele. Should Chiuri become available, there is one brand that could really use her help, fashion experts say: Gucci.


If the September show of Gucci creative director Sabato De Sarno proves underwhelming yet again, parent Kering may have to take the difficult decision of saying goodbye to the Italian designer. Gucci is Kering's main source of revenue and profit. De Sarno's style is elegant but it's proven too bland for people to really get excited. Consumers do not understand what story he's trying to tell - if there is one.


Many of Gucci's campaigns have been featuring a celebrity model or actor with a handbag shot in a studio. There's also been an advertising campaign with the Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner walking across a tennis court with a Gucci duffle bag. Only you can barely recognize him in the photo since a cap covers his face. Nothing to brag about.


More importantly, there's been no momentum and newness with Gucci's handbags, which generate the biggest margins. Since De Sabato joined Gucci in May last year, he still has not come up with one single interesting new bag, fashion experts note.


BAGS


Francesca Bellettini, Kering's deputy CEO, has come to the rescue and tapped the famous leather goods designer Roberto Franco, who previously worked for Saint Laurent, to come up with a new collection of bags for Gucci.


"Roberto Franco is a superstar in his field," one Paris-based headhunter said. "He connects with the Zeitgeist, he's able to come up with 'it bags' and design products that fit a given collection"


Kering is likely to announce next week some management changes to reassure investors it's working hard on revamping Gucci's fortunes. It's possible the French group will confirm that Stefano Cantino, the ex-Louis Vuitton communications and events VP who joined the brand in May as deputy CEO, will become CEO in January. He would replace Jean-François Palus, a Kering veteran; who's looking to retire and has already left Kering's board last year. As CEO of Gucci, Palus still sits on Kering's executive committee.


Kering could also announce the appointment of Cayetano Fabry, Saint Laurent's EMEA president, as Gucci's new chief commercial officer. Alessandro Valenti, who was head of Europe for Louis Vuitton, was supposed to take this job but in the end, LVMH managed to keep him by naming him CEO of Givenchy. Kering did not reply to requests for comment about the expected executive reshuffle.


Like designers, the pool of talented luxury CEOs is small. Executives keep moving from brand to brand and from group to group, trying their best to become rich and famous in the process. Once they've amassed enough money, a few, like former Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, start businesses of their own and begin a new adventure. It's so much more fun to work for yourself than for someone else. Miss Tweed knows.

 

[JohannesL]

Going back to Dior means that he needs the humility to accept the offer so I would rather have him move to Chanel, but ideally Diego Della Valle should snap him up at Schiaparelli!

 

[helmutnotdead]

he’s out of Margiela. no speculation, it’s a fact.

 

[blueorchid]

He’s going to Celine so Hedi can takeover Chanel, duh…

 

[LadyJunon]

I feel that if Galliano comes back to Dior, it could mark a huge shift in the industry.

 

[MulletProof]

Would kind of love to see that, to be honest.

all of us, except twitter.com/israel lmao