The John Galliano situation advances. From Thursday to today there has been many many news about a drunken Galliano extravagantly declaiming his love for Adolph Hitler in a bar and today it culminated with him being fired from his job at Dior.
After Hillary Alexander’s brilliant article at The Telegraph, I believe there is not much more needed to be said. I agree with every single word, but I feel I should point out few things that seem to have been forgotten in the heat of the moment.
Firstly let me remind you all that Galliano was provoked. While there is no excuse for his behaviour he was clearly under the influence of alcohol and God knows what else.
There is something else: designers of the level of Galliano live in a bubble. A glamorous, expensive, huge bubble. They hold a hedonistic life in a completely different world and sadly, yes very sadly, feel they can be immune to the real world consequences.
It is a life of lavishness where nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible and problems are always dealt by PRs, PAs, executives and the list goes on. The overdose of luxury (and many other substances) makes the world of high fashion a world set apart, a billion dollar world apart. Although everybody seems surprised by it all to most of us who works in fashion this is no news. Thirty years ago there were many stories of drunken famous designers doing stupid things, but then there was no Twitter, Facebook or such a celebrity culture.
There is a lesson to be learnt. There is and will always be consequences for what you do and say regardless how high profile you are. And . I am sure it was not the first time LVMH had to deal with many unpleasant situations created by their creative staff. But as this time, Galliano’s detestable and repugnant comments were scandalously broadcasted to the world and they had to, of course, stand firmly against it all. And let me break the news Bernard Arnault as the owner of a giant fashion conglomerate wants to turn the highest profit with the least problems to liaise as possible. As one can expect Galliano is and has always being a hand full to deal with, so rumours that Arnault wants to get rid of him has some fundament.
Although this is all sad and inexcusable there is no need to worried about the designer’s future. Those who are hating him and saying it is the end of his brilliant career, calm down! I will tell you something, fast forward a season or two(if all that), Galliano will re appear as a star who has turned things around. Get will soon go into rehab, apologise for what he has said and take a short break . Then, on top of the game, he will come back and take his bow in the end of another fantastic fashion show in one of the many high fashion maisons. Do any of you remember when the whole world thought was the end of Kate Moss when she was photographed taking cocaine and lost few very good contracts and campaigns ?
Yes, I know, we all have a tendency to forget and soon this is all going to be old news.
Roxy Ribeiro
FashionAction by Rosane Ribeiro 