Galliano is a natural artist. His skill, eccentricity and deep understanding of the intricacies of the cut made him a success, so much so that the name of John Galliano is on a par with the name of Lagerfeld. But for recognition he had to work hard. His arrival at Dior caused a lot of skepticism. “Into what hands did the Dior house fall and what will become of it?” asked in the fashion arena. But Dior was not mistaken. At the time of Galliano's arrival, the fashion house had 20 stores, but now it has more than two hundred. John ensured not only the commercial success of the brand, but also raised it to a new level: he simply took the old woman in his arms and transferred it to the 21st century.
Galliano loves to shock, he likes everything unusual, unbanal, everything that does not keep up with the times. In the 90s, when heroin-chic models reigned on the catwalk, dressed in shapeless light dresses, Galliano released bizarre outfits heaped up with copious amounts of stones and sequins. His collection "The Escape of the Young Princess Lucretia from Bolshevik Russia" attracted tremendous attention. Galliano was awarded the best designer of the year. But commercial success passed him by. Recognition by the first persons of the fashion industry and non-recognition by buyers, that's what Galliano got at the beginning of his journey.
And then he was invited to Dior. Galliano recalled that on the day he first arrived at the Dior office, he was greeted by company employees and haute couture employees dressed in white lab coats. John wondered why the organization hired so many medical professionals.
I really was very naive, but before that I had not even crossed the threshold of such places.
Galliano says that even in his wildest dreams, he could not imagine that he would someday take the post of creative director of Dior. But John is inspired by the idea that he is the guide for the legendary brand from the old to the new, from the past to the present.
Sometimes I want to pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream.
However, what really united Galliano and the traditions of the house of Dior and its founder, Christian Dior, was an immense love for a woman, her femininity and personality.
Dior idolized female beauty, so in today's models we try to emphasize the lines of the chest, waist, and hips.
When asked if there is something that unites him with Christian Dior, Galliano answers simply:
Just like me, he loved to mess with the flowers in the garden. I, like him, love women, beauty. We are both romantics, we are both impressed by the same things. I love everything new, he loved everything new. I, like him, am confident. I never studied it, never brought it up in myself. It's built into me.
John was lucky that in 1996 he was invited to work at Dior, because by this time the fashion designer had refused to sponsor. And the house of Dior gave John a wide scope for creativity. He was not limited in anything: the best fabrics, expensive accessories, shows comparable to theatrical productions not only in artistic content, but also in the amount of investment. Galliano followed the path of world fame, and he achieved commercial success for the brand. However, this fact was criticized - he was accused of turning Dior into an overly commercial brand.
Hmm, can a brand be too commercial? I think we are doing everything right, as the time and circumstances require. I don't want Dior to gradually turn into its own shadow, a dead person that no one talks about badly.
Galliano has an answer for everything. Everything has its own opinion. And he has his own ways of working. Creativity is the eternal companion of his life.
Creativity is included in my schedule. I'm talking about the fact that one day you can't enter the workshop and say: “Now I'll get creative! I will create a masterpiece! More and more complex and orderly. No, I'm not worried about free creativity. This is an integral part of my life.
Recreation and travel are a necessary attribute of activity.
When I first came to Dior, no one here understood what exploration journeys were for. I had to explain how important it is that I'm not just sitting at a desk in the office. I'm not a switch that you can flip and sketches will appear immediately. No, this scheme does not work for me.
He is in constant search of his muse.
She constantly eludes me. I am always in pursuit of her. She is an ephemeral creature. Like perfume. I don't think I would like to catch her. It is the pursuit of it that makes me create.
Galliano created the unimaginable for Dior. His collection "Matrix" caused a wave of misunderstanding among fashion critics. This is not at all in the style of Dior, too new! Further work of Galliano was no less amazing. Despite the fact that a romantic lives in Galliano, and the fashion designer has a deep passion for the atmosphere of the 18th century, John mixed this with careful attention and enthusiasm with his craving for shocking and everything extraordinary. But in the future, excessive provocation came to naught. More and more, simple elegance began to appear in the designer's collections, and only an incredible cut remained from the past. It seems that Dior is also pleased that Galliano has reduced his ardor, and John is happy that he can create without stepping over himself. But in the creation of more traditional clothes by the fashion designer, many saw the defeat of Galliano: the fashion designer still surrendered under the onslaught of his superiors. But John remarked:
I went for it of my own free will. It was my decision. I agree, it's rather strange to see models with handbags on the catwalk. But at the same time, I knew that the image I invented could only be realized by a certain model with a certain handbag.
By the way, about images. Galliano's exit at the end of the shows is a separate song.
I am so deeply immersed in the process of creating a collection that it is reflected in my appearance. The same thing happens to any of us when a muse visits him. I get used to the image of my muse and begin to reason. Does she wear red lipstick? Does she write by candlelight? I think over every detail of her image and character.
Yes, Galliano has made an invaluable contribution to the world of fashion. His name will forever remain in history. John did the main thing: he revived the Dior house, made it trendy, iconic. Dior shows are not missed in any case, they are written and talked about. John Galliano accepted the history and traditions of the house to the extent that he understood it. It was something new, but still the same old.
The Dior woman is a true Parisian whose image has begun to fade over time. I wanted to revive it, to give the world exactly what it expects from Dior. We revised the designs, began to use high-tech materials, new dyes, but, Galliano emphasizes, we still maintain a stunning cut.
I think we've shaken off the cobwebs a bit, made things lighter.
The most important thing is to evoke reactions and emotions in the audience. In addition, I noticed long ago that what was shocking at the very beginning often brought huge commercial success.
But often the white stripe is replaced by black. There is a price to be paid for mistakes, and often the price is too cruel. For anti-Semitic insults expressed in a drunken delirium, Galliano was fired from Dior this spring.
Many celebrities have spoken out on this. Karine Roitfeld (former editor-in-chief of French Vogue) said in an interview:
I could not even imagine that John Galliano was so unhappy in his post. You have to be a very lonely and depressed person to confess your sympathy for the Nazi leader in front of everyone and being tipsy. This is reflected in his collections for the Dior house. For example, a show in which models portrayed homeless people sleeping on the street. Anyway, drunkenly shouting “I love Hitler” and calling people in a bar “dirty Jews” is unacceptable. I don't think he really thinks so. It's just drunken bullshit.
And Karl Lagerfeld did not support Galliano at all, although they thought that the fashion designer would sympathize with his colleague. On the contrary, Karl spoke out very sharply against the act of the fashion designer:
I'm just pissed, if you're interested. I'm furious because it's no longer a matter of whether he said it or not. A video of his disgusting remarks has already spread around the world. This is a terrible event for the entire fashion world, because people think that all designers and everyone in the fashion industry allow themselves to behave like this. That's what drives me crazy.
The fact is that in business, especially with the advent of the Internet, everyone should behave more prudently, especially if you are a public person. You can't just go out and get drunk. There are things that you cannot afford. I am furious at the damage Galliano has done to LVMH and personally to Bernard Arnault, who is his good friend and has supported him more than any other designer because Dior is his favorite brand. It's like hurting his child.
And Natalie Portman, the face of the Miss Dior Chérie fragrance, reacted by no means in a sympathetic tone:
I am shocked and amazed by John Galliano's comments in this video. I am Jewish and proud of it, so I don't want to have any more business with Galliano. At the same time, I hope that this terrible trick will help us in the fight against existing prejudices that are alien to beauty.
Controversial statements appear about the return of Galliano to the fashion arena. Fans hope that some fashion house will invite him to work, and opponents - on the contrary. For example, Isaac Mizrahi, a fashion designer and also a Jew by nationality.
I think it won't work anymore. I hope this doesn't happen. I believe no one else will offer him a job. Although, I'm probably not the right person to discuss this with, since I never liked what he does. I liked the work of Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood more. Not only did his collections never inspire me, it has now become clear that he is also a racist to boot. So I mentally said goodbye to Galliano.
In fact, when the information went online that John was under threat of being fired, I simply did not believe it. Such an incident is unlikely to seriously affect the reputation of the brand. But the dismissal nevertheless took place, and besides, not only from Dior, but also from Jonh Galliano. In this regard, the joke saying "John Galliano fired from John Galliano" was very popular, which is essentially not at all funny.
It is impossible to predict what my reaction would be if my brand and my name were taken away from me, but I clearly would not be happy about it.- says Alexander Terekhov.
Rumor has it that the dismissal was not accidental, that everything was pre-arranged.
Kirill Gasilin:
Sadly, the era of great creators has passed. I am sure that Galliano, of course, was provoked by the owners of the Dior brand, although not directly, but indirectly. We are not aware of the details of their contract, but we know that Galliano is a very executive and efficient person, although not with an easy character. And, perhaps, they just needed to find a reason to terminate the contract. How can you assume that this man, 150 meters tall, can be an aggressor and beat someone? The recording clearly shows that he is only defending himself, like a hunted animal in its mink. It's just that people found an opportunity to remove this artist, who became objectionable. I think that it was no coincidence that McQueen left, because they are very close in spirit with Galliano. And the reason here is that no one needs art in its purest form. Nobody else is interested in it.
But my personal opinion is that not everything in the world is accidental, but there are cases. And to explain this incident by some kind of conspiracy is pointless. And who knows, suddenly Dior will regret that they abandoned Galliano, a crazy genius, a talented artist. My favorite collection:
I recommend watching the show. He is perfect in everything from music to models.
Galiano's latest haute couture at Dior. Chic, elegant, bold and outrageous collection - Galliano appeared at his best. The same collection was RTW, which was nicknamed "Gagliano's show without Galliano". And is the talent of this master really lost? Yes, if he is convicted and sent to prison. And, we hope not, if he is limited to paying a fine, and he is invited to work. Rumor has it that the Ferré brand would like to see Galliano as its director. And who will take the place of creative director of Dior? The name of the designer will be hidden until autumn, that is, until the next season. But there are rumors that it will be Ricardo Tisci.
Well, I think Ricardo will be able to bring the brand back to its roots. That's what Dior promised to do before Galliano's last show. But John will not be forgotten, this will not happen in any case. Such people are not forgotten, they do not pass by a bright flash, they do not fade away at the end of their journey. Even if Galliano does not have a future in the fashion arena, his name will forever remain in the history of fashion, and in books it will be written about him:
What I took and brushed the cobwebs off the sleeping beauty. That's really all I did.
Photos from shows: style.com, vogue.ru
World fashion star, brilliant and unpredictable, infinitely talented former chief designer of the fashion house "Dior" ... Of course, this is John Galliano.
The birth of a star
An unknown boy Juan Carlos Antonio (now John Galliano) was born in Gibraltar in 1960. When he was six years old, the family moved to London. John's father was a plumber, his mother took care of the children and the house. She taught her offspring how to dance beautifully flamenco and constantly dressed them up, even if it was only to go out to the bakery. At school, he was constantly drawing. After graduation, he entered the prestigious English College of Fashion and Design in St. Martin and was going to go to New York to work as a fashion illustrator. His thesis consisted of eight suits purchased by a major London boutique. Once Diana Ross entered it, who bought a vest of a future celebrity ...
This is how the great maestro John Galliano began his career.
Fashion capital - Paris
John didn't go to New York. He became a London fashion genius. He created stunning models that delighted everyone, but still there was no breakthrough, including a financial one. In the early 1990s, he left London and went to Paris. He arrived in the capital of world fashion without money, he had to sleep on the floor in the apartment of an old friend. One of his acquaintances rented a few meters of his factory to him.
Blossoming hour
His hour came in 1994. At that time, bony models in burlap dresses walked the catwalks. Against this background, the first collection of the fashion designer produced the effect of an exploding bomb. He presents brilliant works full of extravagant luxury. The collection included only seventeen samples against eighty, which were exhibited by other trading houses. This work was demonstrated by seventeen of the best fashion models in the world, including Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss. All the action took place in an old abandoned mansion. It was not just a fashion show, but a semi-theatrical performance - fascinating and unusual. It brought beauty back into fashion, and lifted the designer Galliano to the highest level of world fashion.
Two years later, an invitation from the Dior Fashion House followed.
"Fallen angels"
If you happen to ask the maestro about his favorite work, you will definitely hear that this is a collection created by him in honor of the era of the Directory. This is a set of muslin dresses, which are united by the name "Fallen Angels". Before the models entered the runway, he poured a bucket of water over them - at a time, according to the fashion designer, it was fashionable to wear wet dresses. In this episode, the whole genius of Galliano is revealed. He not only creates amazing images, he himself has amazing magnetism, which makes capricious models meekly endure all his experiments.
Givenchy
The huge talent of the designer was soon noticed and he invited John to take the post of director of the Givenchy house. True, this cooperation lasted only a year.
Fashion House "Dior"
According to the maestro himself, the founder of this House was the god of fashion. He could not even dream that he would be lucky enough to become his designer. John Galliano is an ambiguous figure. He is often called the king of kitsch and shocking. However, this did not stop him from leading one of the most conservative fashion houses in Europe.
Galliano is as if made for Dior - he fully shares his passion for femininity. The image of the Dior woman today is sensual and very romantic. A proudly raised head, a cascade of necklaces, drops of pearl earrings, a flying dress cut on an oblique, and high heels - this is how Galliano imagines her today.
Creating a new collection, John Galliano, who has always been distinguished by an unbridled imagination, may be inspired by the heroine of the novel, a historical figure, and perhaps his muse will be the fruit of his imagination. This can be fully attributed to his collection.
"Princess Lucrezia" (1994)
This image arose quite by accident after reading an article about the study of the remains of the royal family in Yekaterinburg. This story impressed the master so much that he created a collection of taffeta skirts, quilted capes that his runaway princess might like.
How a collection is created
When the female image is fully formed in the mind of the designer, he begins to create and collect sketches. He is interested in everything in the chosen image: hairstyle, buttons, details and accessories. The dream woman, according to Galliano's idea, should materialize and appear before the enthusiastic eyes of the public.
He shifted the focus to evening wear, introduced his own special cut on the bias, significantly updated the fur collection.
Cult of Dior
One of the greatest achievements of the famous designer is that he managed to revive the cult of the great Dior. This means that this style - feminine and romantic - is now back in fashion.
Fashion House Galliano
In addition to working with Dior, the fashion designer also worked on his own brand. According to the maestro himself, these are two completely different fashion trends. In Dior, he works with time and history, which should be treated very carefully, because his heroine is an aristocrat of the era of decadence, who easily and gracefully moves through time.
The John Galliano brand is the epitome of modern New York with its frantic pace of life, skyscrapers, and people always in a hurry. An ordinary trip to a club, and a visit to a museum or exhibition can inspire the master. His New York muse is a woman with an anguish, perhaps with a dark history. These two opposites live in one fashion genius. Own brand for Galliano is art in its purest form. Here it is not limited by any framework. Each of his shows is an event that can be compared with a grandiose theatrical performance.
Favorite Model
When one day journalists asked if he had a favorite model, he answered without hesitation that this was a dress that he created for the incomparable Penelope Cruz. She wore it on the red carpet at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. In order to create this masterpiece, Galliano went to Russia, where huge collections of magnificent dresses are kept in museum archives. He was especially struck by the costumes that were used in the productions of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres.
John Galliano. Scandal
The famous designer became a member of the scandal in 2011. In one of the Parisian bars, being in a state of extreme intoxication, he allowed himself anti-Semitic, incorrect statements about some visitors to the institution. For this, the leadership of the Dior fashion house fired Galliano from his post. In addition, he was deprived of the Order of the Legion of Honor awarded to him in 2010. The designer filed a lawsuit for fifteen million euros against the Dior Fashion House. A French court found him guilty of making racist remarks and fined him six thousand euros.
In 2013, students at a fashion school in New York refused to be given a master class by a man who promotes racist slogans and abuses alcohol. In June 2013, a popular talk show was broadcast on American television. The designer who took part in it publicly apologized for his remarks. He promised to make amends and explained his behavior by addiction to alcohol.
Galliano's personal life is usually not advertised, but nevertheless it is known that he lives with his stylist Alexis Roche for many years.
Flavor "John Galliano"
The first composition was developed with specialists from Selective Beaty. Fragrances "John Galliano" are dedicated to the beauty and perfection of the woman's body. Perfume with this name was released in 2008. They belong to the group of floral fragrances. The refined fragrance combines modernity and elegance.
The composition opens with a combination of angelica, aldehydes and bergamot. A mysterious floral hue of rose, iris and violet appears in her heart. The base notes are the most delicate trail of patchouli, incense and cedar. Ideal for the cold season. The fragrance is designed for sensual and elegant women.
Before Midnight
This is John Galliano's new eau de toilette for men. Glamorous fragrance from the group of woody, oriental scents is designed for cheerful and eccentric men who love entertainment and noisy parties. Such men are relaxed and elegant, modern and young at heart. Luxurious smell "placed" in a rectangular bottle of thick glass. It is decorated with a bow tie pattern. The bottle is crowned with a blue cap.
The aroma opens with white pepper, apple and cardamom. In the heart of the composition - violet leaves, lavender, plum. Base notes are amber, tonka bean, hints of tobacco.
Celebrity biographies
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28.11.14 09:16
His mother was Spanish and loved to dress up children and taught them the basics of flamenco. My father was a more "mundane" nature, because British blood flowed in his veins, and his job was the most prosaic - a plumber.
Creative vein
Juan Carlos Antonio (this is the full name of the fashion designer) was born 54 years ago in the overseas territory of Great Britain, in Gibraltar. Galliano absorbed his future outrageousness, courage and brightness of the created images together with the milk of an expansive mother.
The boy went to an English school - for this, the family moved to his father's homeland, to London. At the lessons he was absent-minded and painted his notebooks and textbook covers with flowers and other patterns - even then a creative streak was dormant in him.
St. Martin's College of Design happily accepted the future celebrity into its walls, John was one of the best students with a well-developed imagination and taste. The thesis work of Galliano "The Incredibles" was enchanting - he took historical French outfits as the basis of the collection (during his studies, he worked part-time in the theater, where he became seriously interested in old costumes). The collection consisted of eight suits - they were immediately taken up for sale by the owners of the Brawn's boutique. This success prevented Galliano from leaving by invitation to New York (there he was waiting for a job as a fashion illustrator). Diana Ross, who visited the store, started a legend called "Galliano" by buying a vest from an aspiring couturier.
Conquer the capital of fashion
John became one of the trendsetters in the capital of Britain, but his collections did not bring much financial success, and he left to conquer Paris. The young genius did not have a penny. He was sheltered by a former classmate, in whose factory the designer began to earn extra money.
The sponsor was still not found, but March 1994 brought the couturier a happy meeting - Anna Wintour, editor of the American edition of Vogue, acted as the "fairy godmother". She supported the young talent and helped finance the debut Parisian collection.
The name was inspiring - "Fallen Angels". 17 jet black outfits showed supermodels, including Evangelista, Campbell and Moss. Galliano shocked the audience by pouring water on the girls before entering the podium. Since then, every fashion show has been more like a theatrical performance.
"Resuscitation" of the Dior House
The year 1995 brought Galliano new success - he was asked to become the creative director of the Givenchy fashion house. Then the fashion designer worked for Balenciaga.
And soon he headed the Christian Dior House. Already the very first collection, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the corporation, made a splash. Ethnic and historical motifs, pre-war retro chic were skillfully intertwined in the costumes. This splendor was called "African". The dominance of minimalism in the 1990s was defeated.
John Galliano managed to "revive" the Dior style that had become conservative over the years. As the basis of the collections, he took style icons from different eras - from Lucrezia Borgia to Scarlett O'Hara. The stars of the stage and cinema again began to "take on arms" the clothes from "Dior". Impeccable cut and the use of new technologies and fabrics - that's what the fashion designer professed.
Following Lagerfeld and Lauren Galliano was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor.
Such different lines
In parallel with his work at Christian Dior, the couturier also led the John Galliano brand. These lines are very different.
In the first there was a chic characteristic of the works of the great maestro. A woman in Dior clothes is a kind of cutesy aristocrat of the early twentieth century.
And for his own brand, Galliano was inspired by the life of New York, the nightclubs of this noisy metropolis, its rapid rhythm that does not stop for a minute.
In the shows of "John Galliano" the master did not confine himself to any limits, at these performances one could see clowns or dancers frolicking against the backdrop of amazing scenery. Here the ball was ruled by a lady with a "dark" past, a frequenter of dubious cabarets and bars.
"Rejected", but not surrendered
Nothing foreshadowed trouble when, at the end of February 2011, the tabloids and the Internet were full of reports of an unpleasant incident that happened to the great fashion designer. While drunk, Galliano allowed himself offensive remarks about people with Asian features. It was February 24 in a Parisian bar.
The fashion house of Dior decided to say goodbye to the brawler - their reputation was dearer to them. Indeed, on the same evening, a drunken fashion designer was detained and accused of anti-Semitism. And in an instant a strange video appeared on the Internet, where a man resembling a couturier almost confesses his love for Hitler.
Not everyone supported the Dior leadership, many colleagues and models, including Natalia Vodianova, spoke out in defense of Galliano, because everyone can make a mistake. Alcohol is to blame for everything - they decided so, because they know the fashion designer as a kind and sensitive person, it is not clear what kind of demon possessed him then.
The first show after the dismissal of Galliano turned out to be rather sad - the front rows were empty.
In September 2011, the court found the couturier guilty, he had to pay a fine of 6 thousand euros.
But on the “personal front” it was quiet and peaceful - John has been living with stylist Alexis Roche for many years.
At the beginning of 2013, Oscar de la Renta turned to the "outcast" - he offered him a studio. Galliano accepted a helping hand and returned to his beloved work - in the new collection there were again many rich details and luxurious finishes.
In 2015, the designer made his London Fashion Week debut as Creative Director of Maison Martin Margiela. His new works delighted the public, he was, as usual, very theatrical.
Scandalous and controversial on the outside, John Galliano is considered one of the most virtuoso designers of our time. He is known for his romantic and eccentric creations, as well as theatrical finals at fashion shows. Galliano is a genius who gave fashion the shape of a wonderful amalgam that it has retained to this day.
early years
Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano born in 1960 in Gibraltar, his father was a plumber and his mother a housewife. But, Galliano's mother had a special passion - flamenco. “She taught the children to dance flamenco on the kitchen table and dress up for any occasion,” he later recalled. Most likely, it was this bright feature of the mother's character that was passed on to the son and influenced his creative future.
When John 6 years old, the family moved to London. Starting from the first grade, Galliano was constantly drawing something somewhere. As the designer himself later commented, these were simple “flowers” and “phones”. But, the first step towards the fashion industry was taken, and confidently continued its way forward. After graduating from school, he entered the most prestigious college in Britain in his specialty - St. Martin.
College education and first collection
Even while studying Galliano began to stand out among fellow students due to his love of rich bright colors. The gifted student was invited to work in New York as a fashion illustrator. But, after the release of his first collection, these plans were not destined to come true.
, collection "Incredible"
It was called Incredible. The first collection, which at the same time became a diploma work, consisted of eight outfits. Inspired by the theme of the French Revolution and armed with his own imagination, he created dresses that captivated not only teachers, but also the owner of the avant-garde clothing store Brawn’s. From now on Galliano I could proudly call myself a designer.
And yet, this was not enough for the whole world to know about the young fashion designer. But here luck smiled Galliano. American singer Diana Ross, walking through London shops, saw creations in one of the showcases Galliano and bought his vest in my wardrobe. This was exactly the PR that the designer lacked in order for everyone to talk about him. From now on the name John Galliano has become an integral part of the high fashion industry.
“The most important thing is to evoke reactions and emotions in the audience. In addition, I noticed a long time ago that what was shocking at the very beginning often brought huge commercial success.
Galliano is a leading British designer
At the age of 25 he became the main trendsetter in the UK. In 1984 Galliano registered his own brand "John Galliano". He began to be supported by various patrons. Thanks to money invested by Joan Burstein, Galliano, teaming up with hat designer Stephen Jones, showed his new collection "Afghanistan Rejects Western Ideals" at London Fashion Week. His creations were very controversial, but the most outrageous fashion week in the world appreciated the work of the fashion designer.
And outrageousness played a role. John Galliano noticed the publisher Amanda Harleck, who made him her personal stylist. The work went well, and a year later he presented the world with his new collections "Absurd Games", "Fallen Angels" and "Forgotten Innocence". They brought Galliano new sponsor - Peder Bertelsen, a Danish businessman.
The inspiration behind the next collection for John Galliano became the heroine of Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire. In her honor, he named the collection - "Blanche Dubois". Its distinctive feature was the use of elements from the work of Japanese deconstructionist fashion designers such as Rei Kawakubo and Yoshi Yamamoto. These works were the first that he presented in Paris at fashion week.
In the world of London fashion, the 90s were a period of decline, so I went to Paris. At first, he experienced difficult times: there was nowhere to live, and there was nothing to create outfits for. But, fate itself favored the young Galliano, and the case brought him to Anna Wintour, the editor of the American version of Vogue. She was known for her patronage of young designers. Wintour took an active part in the fate Galliano. She introduced him to the Portuguese aristocrat Sao Schlumberger, who kindly agreed to lend her mansion in the center of Paris for a fashion show. Models including Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell also worked for free. It was the beginning of a new era in life John Galliano. He presented the world with 17 black crepe outfits lined with satin. And their design, extravagant and chic, shocked the world. And it took only 15 days to create this breakthrough. But the audience was especially shocked by the theatrical performance arranged by the fashion designer. Since then, they have become a calling card John Galliano.
Givenchy and Christian Dior
The popularity of the designer grew at an insane rate. In 1995, Bernard Arnault invited him to take the post of art director of Givenchy. And that was just the beginning. Just two years later, he headed the Christian Dior fashion house. was exactly what was needed for a brand that was mired in boring conservative images and needed a new life. And that's what gave him Galliano.
The first collection at Dior, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the brand, was the collection "Africans". It was a sensation. In it, the fashion designer combined the motifs of the historical costume of the Art Nouveau era and the glamorous chic of the 1930s with ethnic elements. The models looked like girls from a primitive tribe. This collection has become one of the most shocking and unusual in the history of the fashion house. With this collection, it seemed to throw aside the minimalism that began to gain popularity in the 90s.
"I think we've shaken off the cobwebs a little, made things lighter... Our jackets are traditional Dior, they fit well, but they're made for the woman who can take off and fly to New York for lunch in a second."
Gave new life to Christian Dior. Their models began to be worn again by Hollywood celebrities. After such a breakthrough, they began to produce 12 collections a year in order to firmly gain a foothold in the market. And, of course, each of the collections struck with its extravagance. Galliano was especially inspired by history, both real and fictional, and the women in it. They occupied a special place in the designer's work, because he devoted many of his collections to certain ladies of different eras: Lucrezia Borgia, Louise Brooks, Scarlett O'Hara...
“The Dior woman is a real Parisian whose image is gradually becoming a thing of the past. I wanted to revive it, not let it go out, because this is style, and style is eternity. I wanted to give the world exactly what Dior managed to revive - fashion. We use new fabrics and dyes, but impeccable fit is still the calling card of Christian Dior.”
Another interesting "trick" of all shows John Galliano was the appearance of the designer himself at the end. But he did not just go out, like other fashion designers, and bow to the public - each time Galliano appeared in a new outrageous look, to match the collection.
Work in the Christian Dior house went on as usual, but this was not enough for the designer. He organized his own brand "John Galliano". Then he completely shared the specifics of working with two houses. At Dior, he studied the archives more and more and rethought the well-forgotten old:
“Working with Dior is about working with time, with history that needs to be treated very carefully.”
But "John Galliano"- completely different. He set up his fashion house in New York City, the city best suited for the wildness of his fantasies. Galliano found inspiration in everything: people always in a hurry somewhere, nightclubs, historical museums - everything pushed him to new models. Working with his brand allowed him to open up to the fullest, and allow himself any rampage of fantasy. And still the main inspiration of the designer are women, but of the present.
“I want a man, looking at a woman in a Galliano dress, to feel an irresistible desire. Is it that much?"
Antisemitic scandal
And yet, he did not manage to stay on top of Olympus forever. On February 24, 2011, he was detained by the police on charges of anti-Semitic statements. In one of the Parisian bars, a fashion designer, being intoxicated, two Jews. A few days later, he was removed from his post as art director of Christian Dior, as such behavior was completely inconsistent with company policy.
The scandal surrounding the designer grew stronger and stronger. Someone condemned the actions of the fashion designer, while someone, on the contrary, came to his defense. The court recognized John Galliano guilty of anti-Semitic behavior and sentenced to a fine of 6,000 euros.
But what was more terrible was that Galliano forbidden to create collections even under their own brand. The path to fashion weeks was closed for him, and even the French company LVMH announced that it would never work with the designer. For Galliano it was a disaster, and he went to a rehab clinic.
For help John Galliano longtime friend Kate Moss came and ordered a wedding dress from him for her marriage to Jamie Hinch. The wedding took place on July 1, 2011. For your girlfriend Galliano created a dress in the style of the 20s with a train.
“Creating Kate's wedding dress was my creative rehabilitation. It literally saved me. Kate gave me hope, and I decided to prove that, despite everything that is said about me, I remain myself.
Unfortunately, this did not mean a return. John Galliano to the world of fashion. Only in 2012, the designer Oscar de la Renta invited him to work together on the creation of a new collection. In February 2013, the Oscar de la Renta Fall/Winter 2013/2014 collection was presented at New York Fashion Week. Only after that, information began to appear in the media that it might return.
In April 2013, there was information that the designer would be holding a master class on the theme “Show me emotions” for the students of the Parsons school, but for unknown reasons it was canceled. And in July, he gave his first interview for Vanity Fair magazine in a long time. Thus began his gradual return to the fashion industry. On December 10, 2013, at the David Lynch Club, the premiere of the play "Little John" took place, based on interviews John Galliano.
In October 2014, Maison Martin Margiela officially confirmed that he was becoming their creative director. And, after just a couple of months, on January 12, 2015, the fashion designer presented his new spring-summer 2015 collection. The fashion world missed Galliano's extravagant models. This show was, however, not as outrageous as many previous ones, but, nevertheless, it had several extravagant moments. The model, who appeared on the catwalk with her face covered with a mask of pearls, a crown and precious stones, was especially noted.
“Attention to detail, splashes of scarlet, plenty of sets and impeccable tailoring: John Galliano is back on the runway… What he showed in London was a powerful blend of beauty, minimal provocation and the skills he had acquired over the years. Those who will undoubtedly criticize the fact of the return of Galliano will be poorer than him. John is one of the most talented designers of his age, and in this job he has done everything in his power to pay the bills for past misdeeds."
Susie Menkes
In June, Renzo Rosso, owner of Maison Margiela, noted that the brand's sales had grown by 20% and emphasized that the company owes such success to "a true couturier and professional - John Galliano».
Earlier, journalist Dana Thomas released the book Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, which talked about the creation of fashion empires and their collapse.
Former art director of fashion house Christian Dior, and founder of his eponymous brand. He became one of the few celebrities who realized their mistakes and learned from this lesson. wielded enormous influence after the death of Alexander McQueen, so he managed to work by his own rules. At fashion shows, you could see him as a pirate, astronaut, Russian emigrant and dandy. Even after 20 years in the fashion industry, he is still the same student who entered the fashion world.
In the world of high fashion, it is difficult to surprise, but John Galliano, up to a certain point, succeeded over and over again. The king of kitsch and avant-garde, the master of outrageousness, the "resuscitator" of the fashion house "Christian Dior" - this is only a small part of the epithets that were awarded to the fashion designer equally by fans and haters. In 2011, the nicknames “tragedy man” and “fallen king” were added to them, when an anti-Semitic scandal at one moment crossed out all the glorious achievements of the couturier.
Childhood and youth
John Galliano was born in November 1960. Father Juan was from England, but had Italian roots, worked as a plumber. Mother Anita is Spanish, ran the household and, according to the fashion designer himself, taught him and two sisters how to dance flamenco on the kitchen table and dress up, even if it was just to go out.
Since the family lived in Gibraltar, near Spain, the parents gave the son the appropriate name - Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano Guillen. Perhaps such an explosive mixture of blood, characters and traditions manifested itself later in love for shocking and extravaganza.
At the age of six, John moved to London, after school he entered the prestigious St. Martin's College to study art and design, and quickly gained the status of the most creative and successful student.
Simultaneously with his studies, Galliano worked part-time at the National Theater, where he became interested in historical costumes. The future designer poured out the impressions of that time in his thesis “Incredibles”, which included only eight outfits, but they made a splash.
The avant-garde clothing store Brawn's bought the collection, the famous American singer visited it and bought the vest of a young fashion designer, thus marking the beginning of the recognition of John's work.
Galliano turned down an offer to move to New York and continued to please the London public with a new look at fashion. Among other things, the creation of their own brand name was implied. An atelier was soon opened on London's Kings Road, and in 1987 John was named the best designer in the UK.
However, all these skirts and jackets did not bring joy financially, and John decides to move to the capital of fashion - Paris. The opinion was expressed that the fashion designer himself was to blame for the fact that then he almost went bankrupt, because he preferred entertainment establishments to organizational issues.
Fashion
The creative biography of John Galliano, as befits the tradition of a genius, began with difficulties. In Paris, the designer rented a room and rented space in a factory owned by a former classmate. Everything changed after meeting the editor-in-chief of American Vogue.
The journalist saw in the frenzy of colors, textures and decorations of a genius. On her recommendation, the socialite from Portugal, Sao Schlumberger, provided her mansion for a fashion show, where Galliano presented the luxurious Fallen Angels collection.
Fashion businessmen also paid attention to the couturier: in 1995, the owner of the LVMH Moët Hennessy corporation, Louis Vuitton.A. Bernard Arnault has appointed John as creative director of Givenchy. Then for two years the fashion designer was responsible for the release of the collections of the Balenciaga Fashion House.
In 1996, Galliano's finest hour came - the designer headed Christian Dior, replacing the Italian Gianfranco Ferre in this post. The very first collection "African" became a sensation in the fashion world. The style has always been associated with femininity and the silhouette of a new bow, and John presented to the public models made up as representatives of primitive tribes. Couturier got the opportunity to create without restrictions in materials and finances.
Under his leadership, the number of Christian Dior brand stores has increased tenfold. Galliano instilled in the staff of the fashion house the understanding that exploratory travel is a necessary attribute of creativity.
John Galliano's collections are unique in that they are dedicated to a specific hero - Louise Brooks,. Or he assigns them high-profile names that will certainly not be forgotten: "Escape of the young princess Lucrezia from Bolshevik Russia", "Afghanistan abandons Western ideals."
The summer collection of the 2001-2002 season was called an ode to the Inquisition, werewolves and vampires for the colors and accessories. In addition to furs, velvet, embroidery, Galliano's arsenal uses latex, collars, artificial flowers in the most unimaginable combinations. The couturier's interests were not limited to dresses, waistcoats and haute couture suits; in 2008, John released the first children's collection and John Galliano perfume.
Having headed such a well-known company, Galliano decided that it would be nice to become a brand himself, and abandoned the classic suits with a tie. Mel Ottenberg came to the rescue, who is now responsible for the singer's style. Mel had to look for clothes for the director of Dior in vintage boutiques, and then simply mock at her - repaint, alter, wrinkle, sprinkle with vinegar, burn.
As former stylist assistants said, a separate topic is John's shoes. Not only was it a couple of sizes larger than required, but the shoes were dipped in boiling water and thrown out into the street for cars to drive over them.
And the designer lost such magnificence when, in 2011, being in a state of intoxication, he allowed himself anti-Semitic remarks against visitors to a Parisian cafe. Christian Dior S.A., which owned a 91% stake in the John Galliano brand, fired Galliano from both jobs. On the official website, the expulsion of the first person is delicately called departure. The post went to former fashion designer assistant Bill Gaten.
John “rose from the ashes” only in 2013, when, with the help of Anna Wintour, he got a job as a creative director at the Oscardela Renta House. However, a year later, Galliano demanded an increase in the amount of the contract. According to the American press, the brand's management did not want to continue paying John's team.
In 2014, the British couturier accepted an offer to become the art director of the L'Etoile chain of perfumery and cosmetics stores. In January 2015, Galliano presented a new collection created for the Belgian brand Maison Martin Margiela. The outfits created by the fashion designer at the new place of work, as photos on Instagram show, are no less eclectic than before. The return of former glory was facilitated by the creation of a wedding dress for:
“It literally saved me, became my creative rehabilitation. Kate gave me hope, and I decided to prove that, despite everything that is said about me, I remain myself.
Personal life
For 12 years next to John Galliano - a close friend and personal stylist Alexis Roche. Before him, the “soulmate” of the fashion designer was his colleague John Flett, who died in 1991 from a heart attack.
The designer is still in good physical shape thanks to regular sessions with a personal trainer. The Galliano Sports Complex includes intensive aerobics, stretching, push-ups and runs along the banks of the Seine.
John Galliano now
The models of the autumn-winter 2017-2018 season are inspired by the muse of Galliano - the Marquise Luisa Casati. The basis of the collection was made up of coats and suits with a perfect cut and a touch of theatricality. Back in 1998, despite the fact that the Italian beauty died half a century before, her image inspired John to create a spring-summer haute couture collection at the Dior Fashion House and launch Casati perfume.
In the presentation of MENSWEAR at Paris Fashion Week, Galliano proposed a beige-blue and orange palette. The thirst for outrageousness has also been preserved: satin and pink roses are used in men's suits.
Condition assessment
The events of 2011, of course, affected John Galliano in every sense, hitting the wallet as well. However, there is no reliable information about how much the designer lost when he was excommunicated from the fashion world. So, according to Thefamouspeople.com, as of March 2017, Galliano's fortune was estimated at $32 million.