John Galliano is one of the most successful and influential fashion designers in the world. He is known for his extravagant and pompous creations, often inspired by historical eras, art and culture. He has headed the fashion houses Givenchy, Christian Dior and Maison Margiela and founded his own brand John Galliano. He is considered the costume designer among fashion designers, turning his shows into spectacular productions.
Galliano was born in Gibraltar in 1960 and moved to London with his family when he was six years old. He studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, graduating in 1984 with a collection inspired by the French Revolution. This marked the beginning of his career as a fashion designer.
Galliano founded his own brand John Galliano and showed his collections first in London, later in Paris. He quickly became a star of the fashion scene and received several awards, including the British Designer of the Year Award four times. His collections were often inspired by historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Napoleon and Oscar Wilde, and showed his attention to detail, craftsmanship and drama.
In 1995, Galliano was named head designer of Givenchy, becoming the first British designer to head a French haute couture house. Two years later, he moved to Christian Dior and became the house’s artistic director. It was at Dior that Galliano unleashed his creativity and created some of his most famous collections. He made Dior one of the leading fashion houses in the world and shaped the style of the 21st century.
In 2011, however, Galliano was fired by Dior after making anti-Semitic remarks in a Paris café. He apologized for his behavior and said he suffered from alcohol and drug problems. He withdrew from the public eye and began therapy. He returned to the fashion industry in 2013 when he took a temporary consulting job for Oscar de la Renta.
In 2014, Galliano was appointed creative director of Maison Margiela, an avant-garde fashion house known for its anonymous and deconstructed aesthetic. Galliano surprised the fashion world with this choice, as his style was very different from Margiela’s. However, he said that he was inspired by Margiela and that he wanted to combine his own vision with the heritage of the house. He created some of his most innovative collections at Margiela.
Galliano is now one of the most respected fashion designers in the world and is admired for his genius and talent. He has enriched fashion history with his unique creations and continues to influence many young designers today.