John Galliano

John Galliano Fired From Dior

Filed under: Apparel

Dior fashion designer John Galliano has been fired from his role as head designer at Christian Dior after video of him using anti-Semitic language surfaced. In a short statement Sidney Toledano, Dior's president and chief executive officer, said that the remarks made by Galliano were a "total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the House of Christian Dior.

Galliano also has his own eponymous label which is set to have a show on Sunday during Paris Fashion Week. According to Vogue UK, Natalie Portman, who is the face of Dior's Miss Dior Cherie fragrance, also came out against Galliano and said that she will no longer be associated with him in any way. She had planned to wear Dior on the red carpet for the Academy Awards but made a last minute switch to a Rodarte gown in light of the controversy.

Galliano spent part of Monday in a police station in Paris with his lawyer begin questioned about the incident in which he got into a scuffle with another patron at a restaurant. The video shows Galliano telling two women at the Paris cafe, "I love Hitler" and going on to say that people "like them" wouldn't be alive today because their mothers and forefathers would be gassed. Galliano appears to be drunk in the video which has surfaced on YouTube.

The shocking incident has stunned the fashion world. Galliano has always been considered a bit avant garde but he has also been credited with bringing excitement and drama to the world of couture. He has also served as a designer for Givenchy.

UPDATE: International Herald Tribune fashion writer Suzy Menkes says that Galliano is headed to rehab.

Tags: christian dior, dior, john galliano, john galliano arrested, natalie portman

The Fashion Statement: Haute Couture's Lightness of Being

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

The Haute Couture Spring 2011 shows have yet to wrap up in Paris this week and, already, we know the end of the story. Designers are walking the tightrope between pale blush, pinks and nudes on the one side, and bright saturated jewel tones on the other. Similarly, styles are either soft, feminine and ethereal or dramatic and rich.

"There's a sense of lightness that we're seeing, particularly in the materials," says Joanna Manganaro, an editor specializing in womenswear at trend forecasting firm Stylesight. "Chiffon, tulle--everything is done in a light-handed way. It feels featherweight. It's something more modern, more uplifting."

That was clearly the case with Givenchy. Riccardo Tisci, a designer better known for being dark and severe, delivered a collection of gowns in pale yellows, barely-there pinks and light nudes as a tribute to Butoh dander Kazuo Ohno. In the end, he remained true to his reputation for boldness. When the models turned, they revealed the backs of the gowns that were embroidered in neon orange, chartreuse and fuchsia.

Christian Dior (pictured above) had a more traditional view of things. John Galliano paid tribute to René Gruau, an illustrator who created the house's iconic images from the '40s and '50s. Remember Dior's New Look from the '40s? Galliano (who has a new look himself--a shag haircut) reinterpreted the New Look in in electric blue, fuchsia, brown, emerald green and red taffeta and satin. One of the highlights was a flaring white skirt topped with a burnt-orange jacket with shoulders out-to-there.

Gallery: Full Bloom

Tags: armani prive, Chanel, Christian Dior, Elie Saab, Givenchy, Haute Couture Shows, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Kazuo Ohno, Lady, Rene Gruau, RiccardoTisci, Stylesight

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The Fashion Statement: Will 2011 be the Year of the Hat?

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Hats worn for the express purpose of style hasn't been widely popular since the '20s. Millinery did have a brief comeback in the '80s when Princess Diana gave visibility to the British tradition of wearing hats for special occasions. Now Kate Middleton is again putting a modern face under the British topper. And numerous designers on both sides of the pond made the hat a central focus of their spring/summer runway collections. And then there is Lady Gaga entertaining us all with her theatrical chapeaus.

Not since the '80s have we seen so many hats! So we wonder: Could 2011 be the year of the hat?

Arguably the most buzzed about accessory of the season was the colorful, wide-brimmed hat like the one above at Prada. Badgley Mischka and Marc Jacobs channeled Jodi Foster in Taxi Driver with their bright pink versions shown over hair that had been appropriately curled and frizzed. Sally Field in The Flying Nun would have fit right in at Missoni where almost every model wore hats that flapped down the runway like wings. And Alberta Ferretti went boho by pairing floppy fringed brims with her collection of gauzy ethereal gowns.

Gallery: Hat Gallery

Tags: Alberta Ferretti, ann demeulemeester, Anna Sui, BadgleyMischka, Carolina Herrera, Christian Dior, dsquared2, Giles Deacon, Hermes, issey miyake, John Galliano, John paul gaultier, just cavalli, Kate Middleton, Lady Gaga, Missoni, moschino, Prada, Princess Diana, Sonia Rykiel, YohjiYamamoto

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Taylor Momsen's Perfume Ad For John Galliano

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Gossip Girl star and Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen is the face of John Galliano's perfume Parlez-Moi d'Amour. The ads, shot by Ellen von Unwerth, show the young starlet in her signature raccoon eyeliner crooning over a love letter while her own song "You" plays in the background. The ads, which seem a little like outtakes from "Burlesque" or "Moulin Rouge" are a companion to the print ads showing a lingerie-clad Momsen with the envelope-shaped bottle with a floral Galliano stamp. The fragrance name means speak to me of love)and the sweetly romantic scent has notes of rose, jasmine, cypress, ginger and blueberry.

Tags: celebrity fragrance, john galliano, taylor momsen

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John Galliano's Under The Sea Christmas Tree

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

Fashion designer John Galliano has revealed his Christmas tree for Claridge's. This is the second year the Dior designer has created a tree for the London hotel. This year's design was inspired by the ocean. The "Under the Sea" Christmas tree is a seascape fantasia with silver leaves, pink coral, sea horses, fish, anemones, starfish and jelly fish. The Telegraph reports that the tree was unveiled at a dinner that was hosted by model Stella Tennant and CEO of Christian Dior, Sidney Toledano, to mark the opening of Dior's new London boutique in New Bond Street, W1.

Tags: claridges, dior, john galliano, london

The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from Norton MacCullough & Locke

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

In previous columns we've been known to wax nostalgic about the golden age of luxury travel, and the vintage luggage that embodies the glamour and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style. Such exquisitely crafted pieces, like the mysterious bespoke Hermès crocodile suitcases made for Out of Africa author Karen Blixen which we wrote about last week, evoke a time when the journey was as important as the destination and every conceivable creature comfort was taken along for the ride. Not everyone is ready to consign such a stylish mode of sojourning to the past, however. Hence we take pleasure in introducing Norton MacCullough & Locke, a new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury, founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe.

Norton MacCullough & Locke creates individual, hand-crafted pieces in their workshops in England, with the aim of preserving traditional leatherworking techniques and bespoke craftsmanship. Their beautiful pieces feature details such as gold plated locks and hardware, Alcantara linings, precisely fitted removable trays, and engraved mirrors on the inside lids of dressing cases. Designed and made with the finest materials available, the firm's specialist leather, metal and woodworking artisans employ traditional techniques and hand-finishings, ensuring that each piece is unrivalled in its exclusivity, aesthetics and attention to detail. In other words, the sort of luggage suitable to traveling by private jet.

By designing and creating products that are specific to the individual client's aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyle requirements, each Norton MacCullough & Locke piece is truly unique to its owner. Each bespoke order is developed through a series of personal consultations with the client; from concept and design through to personalization and material selection. The firm is continuously developing its extensive range of precious metals, exotic woods and leathers. While bespoke commissions are limited only by the imagination, some of the items they create include jewelry boxes, trunks, hat boxes, suitcases, humidors, watch cases, travel desks, attaché cases, games sets and drinks cases.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke

Tags: Berkeley Hotel, bespoke, England, exotic wood, games, gold, humidors, John Galliano, leather, London, luggage, Norton MacCullough Locke, private jet, suitcase, UK

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The Over-the-Top World of Tony Duquette

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Jewelry, Books

The over-the-top world of the late L.A.-based artist and designer Tony Duquette, creative Svengali to some of the most renowned Hollywood celebrities and tastemakers of the 20th century, is beautifully presented in a new book aptly titled More Is More by his longtime associate Hutton Wilkinson. With a foreword by another master of stylish excess, Dior designer John Galliano, the book explores Duquette's personal philosophy and the artistic credo that inspired him to create his fantastic artwork, sculptures, jewelry, gardens, and luxurious, theatrical interiors. Wilkinson provides a privileged glimpse into Duquette's fascinating private life, showing him at work in the studio, at the lavish celebrity-packed parties he and his wife held at Dawnridge, their eye-popping Beverly Hills estate, and on his whirlwind international tours.

Tags: Hollywood, interior design, InteriorDesign, John Galliano, JohnGalliano, Tony Duquette, TonyDuquette

Backstage Dior, An Eye-Popping All-Access Pass

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books

Renowned photographer Roxanne Lowit has been chronicling the fashion scene for the past 30 years; early on she staked out the backstage areas at fashion shows, where the really interesting action takes place, as her prime hunting ground for capturing the most beautiful people in their natural habitat. Now Lowit, whose work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum and others, has an incredible new book just published by teNeues, focusing on brilliant, flamboyant Dior deigner John Galliano's couture concoctions which she chronicled for over a decade. Backstage Dior, with a foreword by Galliano, mixes black-and-white and color images, candids and close-ups, delving into the fascinating details behind the scenes. The book is a must for any devotée of fashion, spectacle, photography, or all three.

Tags: Christian Dior, ChristianDior, Dior, fashion show, Fashion Week, FashionShow, FashionWeek, French fashion, FrenchFashion, John Galliano, JohnGalliano, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MetropolitanMuseumOfArt, models, photographer, photography, Roxanne Lowit, RoxanneLowit

The Fashion Statement: In Goth We Trust

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

I was at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, last week soaking it all in. This was the site where the sultans displayed decapitated heads on stakes to discourage bad behavior among their subjects. Probably the most famous of these heads was Dracula's (Vlad, the Impaler) which had been preserved in honey. Not a bad piece of ghoulish history to come across to get in the spirit of Halloween.

Probably the closest thing you can get to horror in the fashion world is goth. At its worst, goth is all about death, rot and decay. At its best, goth is erotic even a romantic period style of dress. Typically, goth is all about dark colors-blacked out eyes, whitened skin, black hair and a plethora of body piercings.

Most people think goth fashion came out the post punk scene that rose up out of the United Kingdom in the '80s. In fact, goth origins are ancient and appears to be the result of a combination of influences from random events that occurred over the centuries.

One of the best books I've ever come across on the subject is Gothic: Dark Glamour by Valerie Steele. The stunning coffee table book, first published a year ago, traces goth from its Eastern Germanic tribal roots to modern-day black-clad teenagers and sexually-charged vampire fiction.

Steele, chief curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, takes the magnifying glass to haute goth as seen through the eyes of designers John Galliano, Rick Owens and Alexander McQueen. It's a fascinating, visual journey through the aesthetics of the macabre.

Some of you might recall, the original Goths were warmongers who tried to take down the Roman Empire in Istanbul, thousands of years before Dracula lost his head to the sultans. I find it particularly interesting that today's goths have nominated Dracula as their token villain. At least at Topkapi Palace, there's a connection. A column commemorates the Roman victory over the Goths.

In fashion, goth is still one of the most effective ways to communicate rebellion and subculture. It's shocking. Unsettling. The fashion equivalent of a good scare on Halloween. Just the kind of buttons, designers like to push. Take London designer Gareth Pugh's spring 2010 collection, pictured above.

Tags: Alexander McQueen, AlexanderMcqueen, Goth, Gothic: Dark Glamour, Gothic:DarkGlamour, John Galliano, JohnGalliano, Rick Owens, RickOwens

Oscar Winner Steps Out In Goddess Statue Heels

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Shoes

Heels often turn heads but not like this. French actress Marion Cotillard caused a stir with her unique Dior shoes at the Bike in Style challenge in New York City this week. The strappy shoes were designed by John Galliano and the heel is in the shape of a fertility goddess. Cotillard paired the shoes with an understated suit. The shoes first hit the runway last fall as part of John Galliano's Dior spring/summer 2009 'Tribal Chic' collection.

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Tags: dior, john galliano, JohnGalliano, marion cotillard, MarionCotillard, shoes

More Dior Than Dior: Galliano Counters The Recession With Ruffles

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

I thought Armani Prive's Paris show was extravagant but that was before I beheld the flounces, ruffles and crinolines of John Galliano's latest collection for Dior. The eccentric designer took his fashion cue from the paintings of Vermeer and other Dutch masters offering up a collection that included bib-like lace collars, puffy sleeves you could hide a small dog in and cinched-in waistlines set against belled out skirts.The spring-summer collection was meant to be "More Dior than Dior" taking Christian Dior's original neat suits from the 1940s and riffing on them as only Galliano can.

The collection flies so completely in the face of what the IHT's Suzy Menkes calls "austerity chic" that it's hard not to be charmed. As she puts it " in straitened circumstances, was it mad? Yes, but it was magic." While elaborate couture shows are becoming more of a rarity, this collection and the one from Armani show the type of flamboyant showmanship that may not be in step with the times but is still a wonder to behold.

Gallery: More Dior Than Dior

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Tags: dior, fashion, galliano, john galliano, JohnGalliano, paris

John Galliano's Debut Fragrance

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

British designer John Galliano is introducing his debut scent some 20 years after launching his fashion brand. "We had about 360 tests -- more than for a couture collection," he noted in Women's Wear Daily.

Galliano was involved with every step of the scent's development. Its outer box is designed to look like a collage or a book, reminiscent of travel tomes he makes following fact-finding voyages undertaken before creating fashion collections. The bottle's neck was inspired by collars appearing in Galliano's first fashion collection, Les Incroyables, and the flacon is topped with a Gothic G. Model Guinevere Van Seenus is the face on the box.

Galliano, who also is the couturier at Christian Dior, had thoughts of flowers, particularly of rose, peony, iris with its powdery side, and violet. The scent will be launched at the end of September in the U.K., through an exclusive with Harrods, and in Germany. On October 11, it is to be introduced in France, exclusively at Sephora, and then a few days later in Switzerland. The launch in the rest of the world will take place in 2009.

Prices vary: 90-ml. eau de parfum spray, 100 euros, or $158; 60-ml. edp spray, 80 euros, or $126; 40-ml. edp spray, 60 euros, or $95; 200-ml. body milk for 38 euros, or $60; and a 200-ml. shower gel, 33 euros, or $52, will be available at launch. A 150-ml. body scrub, 39 euros, or $62, will come out after the initial fragrance introduction.

Tags: designer perfume, DesignerPerfume, fragrance, Galliano, John Galliano, JohnGalliano, perfume, scent, scents

New Dior Watches

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Shown above are the latest watches from Dior. On the left we have the newest design from John Galliano for Dior, the Christal Midnight Blue rubber watch. The watch has a 33mm stainless steel case and a blue mother of pearl dial set with 36 diamonds. The bezel is set with 90 diamonds and the bracelet is stainless steel set pyramid-cut, scratch proof blue sapphire crystal. The watch is a limited edition of 500 and sells for £3,150.

On the right is the latest La D creation from Victoire de Castellane, artistic director of fine jewelry at the Dior house. This watch has an 18K rose gold case with a mother of pearl dial and an 18k rose gold in-set spiral of 55 pink diamonds. The bezel features 76 diamonds and the band is a black satin strap. This watch is a limited edition of 15 and sells for £14,900.

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Tags: dior, john galliano, watches, wristwatch

The Classicist: Dior and YSL in Paris, 1962

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Books, The Classicist

In 1962, Esquire magazine sent photographer Jerry Schatzberg to Paris to cover the behind-the-scenes action at the Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent shows, at what promised to be an historic fashion moment. Indeed it was, and Schatzberg's shoot turned out brilliantly; the full results have finally been collected in book form, under the title Paris 1962: Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, The Early Collections. Schatzberg was no mere paparazzo; a renowned fashion photographer and filmmaker, he's perhaps best known for the cover of Bob Dylan's 1966 album Blonde on Blonde. His journalistic, documentary style ran counter to the usual carefully-posed fashion shoots of the time, which gave the 1962 session added urgency. But first, a little background.

Famed designer Christian Dior had died five years earlier, in 1957. Yves Saint Laurent, only 22 years old at the time, had been named as his replacement, creating a stunning new collection in a matter of weeks. Laurent held the appointment for only a short time, however, as he was soon conscripted to serve in the French army during the Algerian War of Independence. The fragile fashionista lasted less than a month before a nervous breakdown saw him committed to a mental institution. Meanwhile, Marc Bohan had taken over at Dior, leading Saint Laurent to file for breach of contract.

Gallery: Dior & YSL, Then and Now