John Galliano

>> Christian Dior began legal action to dismiss John Galliano this morning, but it sounds like the designer, who helped the house break the billion-dollar barrier, won't go without a fight. According to one of his colleagues, Galliano plans to fight his dismissal from Dior and has retained London lawyer Gerrard Tyrrell, of Harbottle and Lewis — the same man who represented Kate Moss in 2005 during her cocaine scandal.

In the meanwhile, friends of Galliano said they have "finally persuaded the troubled designer to go immediately into rehab," Suzy Menkes reports, "and that the pace of fashion today, and particularly the rigorous structure of a corporate fashion house, broke the fragile, artistic creator."

As for whether anyone will stick by Galliano, Menkes writes: "Most other designers, preparing their collections for Paris Fashion Week, and stunned by Mr. Galliano’s swift fall from grace, asked not to be quoted on the record. But Victoire de Castellane, Dior’s jewelry designer, summed up the general feeling when she said: 'It’s terrible and pathetic at the same time. I never knew that he had such thoughts in him. Or that he so needed help.'”

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>> 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."

>> In the aftermath of John Galliano's dismissal, it is understood that Christian Dior plans to go ahead with its runway show on Friday. The Fall 2011 collection to be shown will be Galliano's last for Dior. Will the usual suspects be in attendance in light of the scandal? Time will tell.

And WSJ's Christina Binkley predicts via Twitter: "Don't expect the Galliano thing to end easily. French gov't will likely require a process, and there's the Galliano line to contend with." She's referring to the fate of Galliano's eponymous label — which, like Dior, is owned by LVMH. It also is expected to show as usual, but as for guest attendance, it sounds like even the label's own PR is unsure — they apparently sent out an email today asking attendees to confirm their presence. And will Kate Moss continue to have Galliano design her wedding dress?

For the conspiracy theorists, Fashionista reports: "We’re hearing rumors that the video was from October and released this week because Dior has wanted Galliano out for some time. It’s true, the timing of all this does seem suspect – the quickness with which Dior put Galliano on suspension, and the subsequent allegation that followed, capped by the release of video, the final nail in Galliano’s coffin. Word is Galliano’s alcoholism (he was often reported to be seen drunk at La Perle) and bigotry had been problems for some time." And Fashion Television's Jeanne Beker tweets: "I've seen Galliano rant and rave before. He really does need help. I love the guy (or thought I did) but am sickened by what's gone on."

So who will succeed Galliano? T's Horacio Silva tweets: "So John Galliano has been fired. Who's going to get the call — Riccardo Tisci or Alber Elbaz?" And the International Herald Tribune's Jessica Michault responds: "The safe bet is Riccardo Tisci." Other names that have been thrown around on Twitter are Olivier Theyskens, Hedi Slimane, and Haider Ackermann.

• Christian Dior has fired John Galliano after "I love Hitler" video — Fashionologie
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>> Christian Dior has fired John Galliano, effective immediately. In a brief statement, Dior said that because of the "odious behavior" Galliano showed in the video circulated yesterday, Dior has sidelined him and initiated proceedings to fire him.

Sidney Toledano, Dior's president and CEO, added, “I condemn most firmly the statements made by John Galliano which are a total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the House of Christian Dior.”

A person close to the matter had said yesterday that Dior was waiting for the police investigation to conclude before it makes any definitive decision about Galliano's future at the brand, but added that it was trying to verify the authenticity of yesterday's video, and if authenticated, the maison would have "little option" but to dismiss Galliano.

>> Yesterday, John Galliano spent more than five hours at a Paris police station, where he met face to face with the couple who accused him of verbally attacking them last Thursday evening. Upon arrival, Galliano, who wore a large-brimmed black hat over his trademark bandanna, was mobbed by cameramen and photographers — see video here. His lawyer, Stephane Zerbib, says that Galliano is "in great shape" and "firmly and formally" denies making racist or anti-Semitic remarks in the case of both complaints filed against him. Zerbib added that despite yesterday's video release, Galliano "never made an anti-Semitic remark in more than ten years at Dior."

The hearing was closed to the public, but a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity says: "[Galliano] denied all the accusations against him." Galliano's chauffeur and an employee of La Perle, where the alleged insults took place last Thursday, both testified that they didn't hear any anti-Semitic or racist remarks. The filer of the second complaint against Galliano, a 47-year-old woman who claimed she was insulted in a similar fashion four months ago, also spoke at the hearing. Zerbib was dismissive of her: "We're surprised by this new complaint which exactly resembles the first ones. It's not by chance. It's surprising that this person had not shown herself since October."

Making anti-Semitic remarks is illegal in France and can bring up to six months in prison; yesterday's hearing was held in part to determine whether the state will press charges against Galliano. The Paris prosecutor's office is expected to decide what the next step might be — possibly today. According to a person close to the matter, Dior is waiting for the police investigation to conclude before it makes any definitive decision about Galliano's future at the brand. It is, however, trying to verify the authenticity of yesterday's video, and if authenticated, the maison will have "little option" but to dismiss Galliano.

A spokesperson for Galliano's eponymous label, meanwhile, said this morning that the show will go on this Sunday during Paris Fashion Week. He was not able to confirm whether Galliano would be present, but maintained that the team was organizing the show as normal.