John Galliano Fired From His Own Label

By Jenna Sauers  |  April 15, 2011 | 3:45pm
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John “I love Hitler” Galliano was swiftly fired from Christian Dior after he was arrested for allegedly harassing a couple with a racist tirade in a Paris bar — and after rather damning video footage of Galliano engaging in a similar rant emerged in the tabloids. Dior distanced itself from its longtime creative director almost immediately, but the future of Galliano’s namesake label hung in limbo.

John Galliano the fashion house was reported to be unprofitable, a break-even proposition at best; retailers said they would no longer stock it; Dior C.E.O. Sidney Toledano went to the Galliano show (which went ahead sans John Galliano) but told the press he was only there to support the house’s workers. There was speculation that the brand — now kinda synonymous with hate speech — would close. Well, limbo no more: Dior’s parent company, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, which owns 91% of the John Galliano brand, has fired the designer. Apparently, LVMH is willing to gamble that customers won’t be turned off the John Galliano name and brand, provided that John Galliano himself is nowhere in sight. Would you buy a John Galliano perfume or a John Galliano dress? [WWD]
Donna Karan, for what it’s worth, believes John Galliano‘s drunken, anti-Semitic rants were “blown up out of proportion” in the media. “I know John. I’ve met John. He’s a wonderful designer, a brilliant designer, and he probably needs help and support right now. To be a designer’s a very taskful situation, and sometimes it can push a few limits.” He’s not racist, see — he’s taskful. [The Cut]

Vogue editor Grace Coddington turned 70 yesterday! This is a picture of Coddington at her 50th birthday, in 1991. [Fashionologie]

Today in the Kardashians, here is a photo of (part of) Khloe’s shoe closet. [Elle]
The three eldest Kardashian sisters — renowned at all times for their discretion — had a secret meeting with OPI to explore a possible nail polish collaboration deal. So secret, in fact, that two of them Tweeted about the secret meeting. [Fashionista]

Jewelry designer Alexis Bittar lives in a beautiful, tastefully appointed Brooklyn Heights apartment. The more you know! [Refinery29]

An artist named Inge Jacobsen renders Vogue covers in needlepoint. [Fashionista]

More than 30 people got the Ecko Unltd. brand tattooed on their bodies since company founder Marc Ecko offered a lifetime 20% discount to any bearer of such a tattoo. [Ecko Unltd]

  • Matthew Williamson — who was quoted recently in the Telegraph as saying that Kate Middleton was “not a fashion bunny,” that people should “get over” her, and that he had no desire to make her wedding dress — is now walking back the quote. He says he was only grumpy at having been asked about Kate Middleton by three different people (presumably reporters) that night. “I was more that I was over the fact that I’d been asked repeatedly about her. I’m setting the record straight: I’m a big fan and I’m sure she’ll make an amazing choice [for her wedding dress]. I just feel for her at this time when everything’s at a fever pitch — the pressure must be quite daunting. I think she’s great for British fashion — she’s clearly going to become an ambassador for British fashion.” [Fashionista]
  • Jamie Hince, who is reportedly set to marry Kate Moss this summer, has apparently asked bandmate Alison Mosshart to be his “best woman.” [Vogue UK]
  • Even though Aerin Lauder is launching her own lifestyle brand — which is expected to include cosmetics and fragrances — she’ll still get paid $700,000 in exchange for 35 days work a year, “consulting” and making public appearances for Estée Lauder. If she works more than 35 days, she gets an additional $20,000 per. [Fashionologie]
  • Seventeen-year-old new face Kate King seems like a pretty cool girl. Anyone who names “books” as a guilty pleasure is fine by us! “I read like a crazy person. I was at one of those huge high school parties one time and I just went into my friend’s room and read Dreamland by Sara Dessen. My friends kept coming in telling me to come out and party, but all I wanted to do was sit and read.” [The Cut]
  • Edie Campbell says working Burberry‘s recent Beijing fashion show — a sound-and-light extravaganza with holograms and simulated changing seasons — was like being in a comedy show. “For me it was very different to the usual fashion week shows, there were six models and we were all there for a few days together — so it was more of a team effort than in the London show. Our attempts to communicate with the Chinese dressers backstage was quite a sight to behold. The whole trip was just a series of bizarre surreal moments, a comedy show with a lot of Burberry product placement!” [Vogue UK]

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