Top fashion designer, John Galliano, has been suspended by his employer, Christian Dior, after being filmed making outrageous comments whilst drunk. The firm said:
“Following the allegations of anti-Semitic statements that resulted in John Galliano being questioned by police on Thursday, February 24, Christian Dior immediately suspended its relationship with its designer, pending the outcome of the police investigation.
“Today, in light of the deeply offensive statements and conduct by John Galliano in a video made public yesterday, Christian Dior has commenced termination proceedings against him.
Sidney Toledano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Christian Dior Couture, said: “We unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior.”
Galliano made comments about the Italian origin of a group of diners seated next to him in a restaurant saying that, under Hitler, they would all have been gassed.
However, in the same way that Kate Moss made a comeback after being filmed snorting a white substance, it is likely that the talented atelier will be quickly snapped up by another fashion house. Indeed, he is due to design the wedding dress for Kate Moss’ nuptials when she weds Jamie Hince, the lead singer of The Kills, in July. Natalie Portman, on the other hand, has reportedly said she will never wear Galliano again after hearing of some of his anti-Semitic comments.
The words Galliano has said were really stupid. I could never imagine he would say things like that. They were heavy, heavy, talking about people should be death by gas. Unbelievable. He was drunk, full of fame in his mind, feeling so superior over ordinary people, and he, who always have to go deep into the world history to get some references to his fashion, probably didn´t read about the suffering of people and families who had been in, let´s say, Hittler´s death-fields. I can imagine the suffering of the families that are alive now, and have missed some of their beloved relatives, friends. But what i had said before, is that those people in fashion world who always used to say his creations were magnific, that he was a genious, etc, will disappear suddenlly.
His words were terrible, no forgive, but fashion world works in the way that people “love” who is in the high levels of success, who have fame, and when this people is out, or something happen, everybody forgets, because they dont represent success or somebody they want to be close, to feel successfull and powerfull. I think if Galliano had said some other stupid thing, not a terrible one like that, and was banished from Dior, if these persons who “loved” him would celebrate him, if he lost his sucessfull position. That´s how it works, people want to be next to who have fame. No fame, no glory, bye bye. I wouldnt be close to Galliano after all of those stupid things he has said. I just would wanna know if these people from fashion would love him if he was banished by Dior for other reason.
Now we´re going to see how fashion world really works: if Galliano will be suddenlly forgotten for all who said that used to admire his work, or being ignored for all those who, during many years, celebrated him. Friends running in a high speed? Are there really “friends” in fashion world, or it depends the level of fame and the way a person is accepted for what he or she has done, or he or she really is? Let´s wait and see
Lilly B., Brazil, journalist