Maison Margiela
John Galliano was an employee for whom from 2014 to 2015?
John Galliano John Charles Galliano ( born 28 November 1960 ) is a British fashion designer who was the head designer of French fashion companies Givenchy ( July 1995 to October 1996 ) , Christian Dior ( October 1996 to March 2011 ) , and his own label John Galliano ( 1988 to 2011 ) . At present , Galliano is the creative director of Paris-based fashion house Maison Margiela . Galliano has been named British Designer of the Year four times . In a 2004 poll for the BBC , he was named the fifth most influential person in British culture . Family . He was born in Gibraltar to a Gibraltarian father , Juan Galliano , and a Spanish mother , Anita Guillén , and has two sisters . Gallianos father was a plumber . His family moved to England in pursuit of work when Galliano was six , and settled in Streatham , South London , before moving to Dulwich and later to Brockley . He was raised in a strict Roman Catholic family . Early career . After attending St . Anthonys School and Wilsons Grammar School in London , Galliano went on to study at Saint Martins School of Art , from which he graduated in 1984 with a first class honours degree in Fashion Design . His first collection was inspired by the French Revolution and entitled Les Incroyables . The collection received positive reviews and was bought in its entirety for resale in the London fashion boutique Browns . Galliano then started his own fashion label alongside long-term collaborators Amanda Harlech , at that time stylist with Harpers and Queen , and Stephen Jones , a milliner . On the back of this success , Galliano rented studio space in London , but his talent was not matched by a head for business . Initially , financial backing came from Johan Brun , and when this agreement came to an end , Danish entrepreneur Ole Peder Bertelsen , owner of firm Aguecheek , who were also backing Katharine Hamnett at the time , took over . This agreement ended in 1988 and by 1990 , he was bankrupt and , after his own London-based label failed to re-ignite his fortunes , he moved to Paris in search of financial backing and a strong client base . Galliano secured the backing of Paris-based Moroccan designer Faycal Amor ( owner and creative director of fashion label Plein Sud ) who invited him to set up his base in Paris at the Plein Sud headquarters . His first show was in 1989 as part of Paris Fashion Week . Media fashion celebrity Susannah Constantine has worked for Galliano , and he has also aided the future success of other designers including shoe designer Patrick Cox . In 1991 , he collaborated with Kylie Minogue , designing the costumes for her Lets Get to It Tour . Paris . In 1993 , Gallianos financial agreement with Amor ended and he did not have a showing in October , missing the season . With the help of American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and André Leon Talley , then European correspondent at Vanity Fair , Galliano was introduced to Portuguese socialite and fashion patron São Schlumberger and financial backers of venture firm Arbela Inc , John and Mark Rice . It was through this partnership that Galliano received the financial backing and high society stamp needed to give him credibility in Paris . This collection was important in the development of Galliano as a fashion house , and is regarded as a fashion moment in high fashion circles . Givenchy . In July 1995 , he was appointed as the designer of Givenchy by Bernard Arnault , owner of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH . On 21 January 1996 , Galliano presented his first couture show at the helm of Givenchy at the Stade de France . The collection received high praise within the fashion media . Some of Gallianos designs for Givenchy were licensed to Vogue Patterns . He was later replaced by Alexander McQueen . Dior . In October 1996 , LVMH moved Galliano to Christian Dior , replacing Italian designer Gianfranco Ferré . At Dior , Galliano received critical acclaim for his Haute Couture and ready-to-wear collections . Galliano designed the chinoiserie chartreuse gown worn by Nicole Kidman at the 69th Academy Awards in 1997 . In 2010 , Galliano identified his love of theatre and femininity as central to his creations ; he said my role is to seduce , and credited Standard Oil heiress Millicent Rogers as an influence . Anti-semitic outbursts . On 25 February 2011 , Dior announced they had suspended Galliano following his arrest over an alleged anti semitic tirade in a Paris bar . The same day , Paris-based citizen journalism site Citizenside received video of Galliano on a similar rant in the same bar the previous December . In the video a drunken Galliano , seated at a café table , insults a group of Italian women and declares I love Hitler.. . People like you would be dead . Your mothers , your forefathers would all be fucking gassed . This incident happened just before the Paris Fashion Week for Autumn/Winter 2011–12 . The show-business industry expressed mixed feelings towards the designers anti-semitic speech . Natalie Portman , who had an endorsement contract with Dior , said she was deeply shocked by Gallianos comments and that these still-existing prejudices.. . are the opposite of all that is beautiful . On the other hand , another model for Dior , French actress Eva Green , said of the incident : Sometimes , you can make mistakes . I dont think hes anti-semitic . Im Jewish . I dont think he has anything against the Jews . I think its more that he was probably a bit drunk . Galliano denied the allegations through his lawyer , and launched a defamation lawsuit against the couple accusing him of antisemitism . On 1 March 2011 , Dior announced that it had begun procedures of dismissal for Galliano , with Diors chief executive Sidney Toledano stating , I very firmly condemn what was said by John Galliano . Dior announced it will continue to support the Galliano brand financially due to licence despite the scandal , and Bill Gaytten would replace John Galliano as creative director at the helm of Dior and the Galliano brand . In France , expressing anti-semitic ideas is illegal . It was reported on 2 March 2011 that Galliano was to face trial in Paris for allegedly making racist comments to customers in a café . The trial commenced on 22 June 2011 . Gallianos lawyer argued that the series of public outbursts during which he uttered racist and anti-Semitic insults in a Paris café were the result of work-related stress and multiple addictions . On 8 September 2011 , Galliano was found guilty of making anti-semitic remarks and sentenced to pay a total of €6,000 in suspended fines after a French court found him guilty of voicing public insults on account of race . Subsequent legal action . A Paris commercial court , in March 2011 , rejected a claim for damages by Gallianos company , Cheyenne Freedom , following the termination of its consultancy agreements with Christian Dior Couture SA . The court ordered Cheyenne Freedom to pay Dior €1.17 million for hurting the company’s image and reputation . On 21 November 2013 , the Paris Court of Appeals rejected an appeal by Christian Dior Couture SA , which was seeking to move the case to a commercial court from the Conseil de prud’hommes ( Labour Court ) and ordered Christian Dior Couture SA and John Galliano SA each to pay the Galliano €2,500 and court costs . Galliano is seeking compensation in the range of 6 million euros . Jean Néret of Jeantet Associés is representing Christian Dior Couture SA and John Galliano SA . Chantal Giraud-van Gaver of Coblence & Associés represents John Galliano . Comeback . In early 2013 , Galliano accepted an invitation from Oscar de la Renta , brokered by Anna Wintour , for a temporary residency at de la Rentas design studio to help prepare for a showing of his Fall 2013 ready-to-wear collection during February New York Fashion Week . Galliano also received a measure of absolution from the Anti-Defamation League , which lauded his efforts to atone for his misdeeds and wished him well . The ADL again came to his defence after the New York Post ran a photo of him on his way to the de la Renta show dressed in what it claimed was Hasidic-like garb . Galliano remained backstage at the show , which received favourable reviews amid speculation about his future , including as a possible successor to Mr . de la Renta and that Galliano might take up a teaching post at Parsons The New School for Design . On 12 June 2013 , John Gallianos first filmed interview since his dismissal from Christian Dior was broadcast on United States television . He closed this conversation by stating , I am able to create . I am ready to create.. . [ and ] I hope through my atonement Ill be given a second chance . On 6 October 2014 , the OTB Group announced that John Galliano had joined Maison Margiela to take the responsibility of the creative direction of the house , marking the designers return to a leading role in designing luxury fashion . Just a few weeks later , on the occasion of the annual British Fashion Awards , Galliano presented the Outstanding Achievement Award to Anna Wintour who wore Gallianos first creation for Maison Martin Margiela , an unambiguous fashion blessing from the Editor in Chief of American Vogue according to Vanessa Friedman , Fashion Director of the New York Times . Galliano exhibited his first couture collection for Margiela during London Collections : Men , on 12 January 2015 . He told French Elle in 2018 that he would stop using fur in his collections , citing as inspiration from a meeting with Penélope Cruz and PETAs Dan Matthews . On 26 September 2018 , Galliano made a statement in Paris at his Maison Margiela show , when he unveiled Mutiny , his first perfume for the fashion house . The perfume is a reflection of his vision of the Maison Margiela women . Honours . - British Designer of the Year ( 1987 , 1994 , 1995 , 1997 ) . In 1997 , he shared the award with Alexander McQueen , his successor at Givenchy . - Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2001 Birthday Honours List for his services to the Fashion Industry as a Fashion Designer . He received his CBE on 27 November 2001 at Buckingham Palace in London , England . - RDI for his contribution to the fashion industry ( 2002 ) . - Appearance on The Independent on Sundays 2007 pink list for being one of the most influential gay people in Britain . - French Legion of Honour ( 2009 ) . The medal was withdrawn by decree of the president of the Republic , François Hollande , published in the official journal on 20 August 2012 . Personal life . In interviews , Galliano has given his full name as Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano-Guillén . He had a relationship with fellow Central St Martins student and fashion designer John Flett ( 1963–1991 ) , whom he described as his soulmate . Galliano currently shares his Paris home with his long-term partner Alexis Roche , a style consultant . He is vegetarian for health reasons , telling French Elle that The energy that I get from having fewer toxins in my body is extraordinary . External links . - Official website of John Galliano S.A. , a company that no longer employs Mr . Galliano