It’s been the year of musical chairs in the fashion industry, and now, John Galliano is leaving his longtime home at Maison Margiela.
In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily published Wednesday, Galliano confirmed his exit from the French luxury fashion house.
“As we are parting ways with this beautiful house, my heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles so I want to take this time to express it. I continue to atone, and I will never stop dreaming,” Galliano told WWD.
He continued: “In inviting me to assume the position of artistic director in the house that Martin (Margiela) built, he gave me the greatest, most precious gift: The opportunity to once again find my creative voice when I had become voiceless.”
The comments were made in reference to his infamous 2011 ouster from Christian Dior after a video surfaced of a 2011 rant at a Paris bar, where he made comments considered racist and antisemitic. That year, he was found guilty for two hate crimes. It followed a separate, similar incident at the same bar in 2010 a year earlier.
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But in 2014, Galliano made a career comeback at Margiela.
“Being brave enough to unlearn, to re-educate ourselves from the past – for it is societally learnt – to share, empathize, and practice compassion,” he added.
Galliano continued, praising Margiela parent company president Renzo Russo who he said “took a risk” and gave him “a second chance,” telling WWD that his…
