Franca Sozzani

• Hedi Slimane will not be John Galliano's successor at Dior — Vogue UK Daily
• Irina Lazareanu entertains the crowd at SXSW — Modelinia
• Transition to Spring with these backless pants . . . or don't — Refinery29
• The top three sales happening today — Lucky
• Franca Sozzani blames Facebook and pro-anorexia websites for the rise of eating disorders — The Cut
• Fendi Borsa colorblock crossbody bag: be still my heart — Bag Snob
• Strap happy: Christian Louboutin's interchangeable handle bags — Vogue Daily
• Spring fashion trend: lightweight leather and suede — The Inside Source
• Abbie Cornish's secret talent? Graffiti artist — InStyle

>> The Christian Dior show will go on, but who will be there to see it? Hilary Alexander reports: "Many international buyers and press feel uneasy about attending the show, leaving Dior in the double predicament of being without a creative director, and the strong possibility of disappointing sales of a collection which many feel is now tainted by the scandal."

So is Galliano's scandal a career destroyer? Kate Moss's cocaine scandal in 2005 did not have any longterm effects on her career, her agent said last year — in fact, her earnings doubled in the five years after. Of course, Moss's scandal and Galliano's scandal broach two vastly different subjects — drugs versus racism and/or anti-Semitism. But as The New Yorker's Judith Thurman wrote yesterday: "Galliano seems to have disgraced himself (and perhaps ended his career) by delivering a drunken, anti-Semitic rant to several fellow patrons at a Paris restaurant . . . But Chanel liked Nazis, too."

So will Moss, who is said to have enlisted Galliano to do her wedding dress, stand by the designer? What about any of the rest of the industry?

We know where Christian Dior face Natalie Portman stands — last night, before Galliano was let go, she released a statement: "I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano's comments that surfaced today. In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful."

After Galliano's dismissal, British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman said: "I think Galliano made a terrible mistake and such offensive behaviour could not be ignored. It is all the same true that he has a huge talent and has contributed enormously to the resurrection of the house of Dior. Who can predict what the future will bring?"

Jessica Stam tweeted: "I'll miss you John, you're so talented. I love the Jews and what he said is awful, but also sad to watch him leave Dior." And Chanel Iman said this morning: "I love John Galliano. I’ve been working with him for years and he is one of the most amazing, genius men in this business. He is one of the most creative, genius designers that I’ve worked with and he’s so open to all types of people. He’s loving and he’s caring and I wish him all the best."

But before this morning's announcement that Galliano was fired, many other industry folk spoke out on the scandal.

Stefano Gabbana tweeted last Saturday (pre video release): "I'm so sorry for John Galliano!!!"

Franca Sozzani, said on camera last Friday (pre video release): "I'm so against anyone who could say something anti-Semitic or against any religion. I understand that [Galliano] was drunk. I can understand, for sure, because he's not a bad guy. But I do not accept that anyone can touch the religion of someone else . . . either you fire or you keep [him], I don't see anything in between . . . [Dior without Galliano] would be a real pity . . . I wasn't there, you weren't there, nobody was there, so who knows the truth. But you know . . . it's John Galliano, it's very easy to say he said something like that, because it's doing a big mess. If he was no one, nobody could tell about him, so we are to be suspicious about that. If it's really true, if it really went as they're describing, it's terrible news for [not only Galliano but] the human being."

Roberto Cavalli, on camera last Saturday (pre video release): "I don't believe [it]. Because I know John since many years, he's such a wonderful person. I can't believe that he makes some racist [comments] toward somebody, because he's so international . . . I think that somebody wants to try to be bad with him. I think la Maison Dior should make [for] him [a] big red carpet because he helped Maison Dior to be what it is today. I don't want to judge anybody, but I love John and John, I am with you."

Giorgio Armani, on camera Monday: "I'm very very sorry for him. It's obviously a difficult time for him. I am also very sorry that they videotaped him without him knowing."

Olivier Zahm wrote last Saturday (pre video release): "I know that you [Galliano] are not at all racist —whatever you said, drunk or not, to them! Your multi-ethnic shows, celebrating the beauty of nomadic worlds, and looking into visual languages of forgotten minorities (from everywhere on this planet), has brilliantly proved it to everyone from collection to collection since years. We are living in a dark world where the fashion system can celebrate talented people like you, use them as long as they want and fire them from a day to the next — exploiting an unfortunate private incident (and thusfar unproved anti-Semitic allegations), to get rid of an artist. Letting the international media suspect that you could be a racist, is not acceptable!"

And Hilary Alexander wrote yesterday: "What devils possessed Galliano we may never know. What private hell he is living through is equally unknowable. But one thing is certain: he needs help. I am not for a moment excusing his behaviour. There will come a time when he must confront the viper in his breast. But, right now, this is a moment in his life when he needs support and love from the industry he has given his life to."

>> She didn't name names, but it was fairly clear that Franca Sozzani, in a blog post last month, was criticizing one of Carine Roitfeld's last issues of Vogue Paris — the December Tom Ford guest-edited issue. In a more recent interview, Sozzani said, “Honestly, I don’t think a stylist has a vision for a magazine.” Both Roitfeld and her fashion director — and now new Vogue Paris editor — Emmanuelle Alt are stylists.

Sozzani wasn't the only one who wasn't feeling that Tom Ford-edited December issue — people in Paris speculated, Cathy Horyn reports, that it triggered Roitfeld's undoing. Roitfeld last month told Horyn that her bosses received complaints from advertisers over the Ford issue. “I was killed for that,” Roitfeld added. “You know, it’s difficult to try to do something new each month.”

According to several close to the matter, Roitfeld offered to resign when the issue of her management came under question (she was frequently out of the office on shoots). She could have been bluffing, but her resignation was accepted. When asked whether her frequent office absence was a contributing factor, Roitfeld admitted: “Maybe, maybe. Everybody has an opinion. Before, it wasn’t a problem, and anyway the magazine was doing very well. It’s difficult to work with a big team. Maybe it’s good I go back to my roots.”

But she says she doesn't regret resigning: "I’m very sad, but in a way I’m very happy, too. I don’t want to get old in this golden cage. I’m very punk in a way.”

Apparently she and Alt no longer speak, however, and neither would say why. Alt, who is attending New York Fashion Week for the first time in years, notes: “I don’t look back and see clouds anywhere. Carine is someone who needs to be free. She’s the rebel of the class. She hates authority. She dealt with it for years but . . . ” The magazine was profitable and experienced a 40 percent leap in circulation under Roitfeld's tenure.

• Anna Dello Russo now has a perfume ad, shot by Juergen Teller, to go along with her promotional video [ADR, ADR]

• Nina Garcia welcomed her second son over the weekend, she announced over Twitter: "Delighted to announce that over the wknd we welcomed 8lb13oz Alexander David Conrod into our home! Baby is doing great & Lucas [her oldest son] is thrilled!" [@ninagarcia]
• Stella McCartney also reportedly welcomed her fourth child just before Thanksgiving last week; she just relaunched her website, with behind-the-scenes photos and videos, as well [The Cut, Style File]
• 40 percent of Vogue Italia's readers come from the United States, but Anna Wintour calls Franca Sozzani "magnificent" [WashPo]
• Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott shot Laetitia Casta in London for the Spring 2011 Roberto Cavalli campaign [Laetita Casta]
• More Spring 2011 campaign rumors: Iselin Steiro is said to be the face of Lanvin; Gisele Bundchen of Isabel Marant (by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin); Raquel Zimmermann of Louis Vuitton (by Steven Meisel); and Givenchy's group is said to be Daphne Groeneveld, Iris Strubegger, Mariacarla Boscono, and Natasha Poly [HoM, HoM, TFS]
• Prada, which saw its profits triple in the last nine months, is now eyeing an initial public offering in 2011 rather than 2012 [WWD]

>> The winner of the upcoming cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model — which premieres Sept. 8 on the CW — is receiving a Vogue Italia cover plus two in-book editorials instead of a Seventeen cover, the prize of season's past.

Reflecting the show's reinvention, the list of guest judges for the upcoming season — who will join judging panel regular Andre Leon Talley — is decidedly more high fashion when compared to last season's list, which included names like Whitney Port. Designers Roberto Cavalli, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Zac Posen; photographers Matthew Rolston, Patrick Demarchelier, and Francesco Carrozzini (Franca Sozzani's son); Karolina Kurkova, Margherita Missoni, and Kyle Hagler of IMG Models, plus Franca Sozzani herself, editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia, will all appear as guest judges for cycle 15.

Video: A trailer of the judges in the upcoming season »

>> Last week, when Tyra Banks announced she was returning to IMG Models, questions rose about whether she would be returning to runways (she retired in 2005) — but it sounds like she's more interested in becoming a spokeswoman, lending her name and image to other brands, than anything else.

In a statement released, she noted: "The last time I was with IMG, I was set on taking on the modeling world in the high fashion and commercial sectors. Now I’m dreaming even bigger, but this time for my company as well. Aligning myself with brands that I believe in, and helping them achieve the kind of success they’re looking for, helps all of us as we grow our businesses."

And Ivan Bart, SVP of IMG Models, added: "IMG will help expand her relationships with companies through endorsements, and will assist her in developing business relationships with sponsors whose missions she feels strongly about."

More details about the America's Next Top Model-Vogue Italia partnership »