Galliano versus Dior
Posted on: March 2, 2011
There will be someone visibly missing during Dior’s fall/winter runway show in Paris this Friday. John Galliano, the designer for the French fashion house since 1997, has been let go by Dior’s head supervisor Sidney Toledano.
Galliano was dropped after a video appeared of him on Monday citing anti-Semitic remarks. The fashion label of Dior, has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to words of hate “…Statements made by John Galliano are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior.”
Witnesses have been questioned at La Perle, the bar in Paris where Galliano was videotaped saying “I love Hitler” and “your mothers, your forefathers, would all be gassed.” The French law states that stirring racial hatred is a crime.
This is the second time Dior has lost a designer managing the major fashion house in over a year. Alexander McQueen’s suicide was heartbreaking, while Galliano’s departure is full of anger and shock. Galliano has always been a troublemaker, he was even called “enfant terrible”, and many reporters describe him as “a little volatile” or like a “loose cannon.”
This whole debacle came after actress Natalie Portman (who is the face of Miss Dior Cherie perfume) released a report reading “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.”
For anyone who keeps up with the current fashion industry, you know that Galliano leaving Dior is huge. He kept the fashion line going when it was sure to be on its way down. Galliano has always been eccentric, and undeniably creative, his shows were packed with celebrities and journalists alike, not only for the clothes but to see where he would take his runway show.
The past couple of years have shown many celebrities getting drunk, and then opening their big mouths, saying things that get them into a lot of trouble. Mel Gibson is a perfect example, and Galliano is being compared to him right now. Gibson lost his acting career for good after spewing anti-Semitic remarks more than once. What other fashion label is going to want to share their name with Galliano now?
People defending Galliano are saying that he was provoked by the couple sitting next to him. Should that be put into account? Does it matter if he was intoxicated? There is no excuse for telling complete strangers that you love Hitler, it doesn’t matter if they “provoked” you. What could someone possibly say to you that would make you reply in that way?
If you’re a celebrity your personal life is just as interesting as your actual career. Should your personal life be able to affect your job? Yes what Galliano said was outrageous and disgusting, but it has nothing to do with designing clothes, which is what he has always been known for. The House of Dior doesn’t want any bad publicity, they can’t be seen having an anti-Semite designing their clothes.
heatherarmstrong 
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