According to sources close to WWD, Dior is in talks with Marc Jacobs about becoming the new couturier of the French house. Dior has been without a creative leader since the loss of John Galliano in the wake of allegations of racism. Such a move would unseat Jacobs from Louis Vuitton, the cash-cow brand at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton — and possibly set in motion a reshuffling at the French luxury giant. Who knows, perhaps Galliano will go the other way…
John Galliano, the British fashion designer has been suspended from Dior a week before his big show in Paris, after his arrest for alleged anti-Semitic remarks. Galliano allegedly verbally accosted a couple sitting on a cafe terrace in Paris’ fashionable Marais district. “Dior affirms with the utmost conviction its policy of zero tolerance towards any antisemitic or racist words or behaviour,” Dior’s Chief Executive Sidney Toledano said in a statement.
Designer John Galliano may oversee all the design for Christian Dior, Dior Haute Couture, John Galliano, and Galliano, his diffusion line, but he’s not stopping there. Galliano licensing company Ittierre announced that a men’s Galliano line is in the works, set for a Fall 2010 launch. The contemporary-priced line, which, according to an Ittierre spokesperson, is geared toward “trendsetting, extravagant, adventurous” 18-to-35 year-olds, will include outerwear, leather, knitwear, shirts, jackets, jeans, jersey, and accessories. Galliano will present the first men’s collection at Milan men’s fashion week, on January 18, 2010.
The famous Ittierre is knocked-out!
IT Holding SpA, owner of the Gianfranco Ferre fashion label, said Ittierre SpA, its main production and licensing unit, will file for bankruptcy protection after failing to find adequate funding.
The bankruptcy order may be extended to the whole company, the Milan-based clothing maker said today in a statement to the Italian exchange.
The company said last week it was in arrears in paying royalties to the designers Ittierre makes and sells luxury goods for, including Roberto Cavalli and John Galliano.
“The board ascertained the absence of the conditions necessary to continue its operations in a regular course of business,” IT Holding said in the statement, citing a lack of financial resources and the unwillingness of its licensors to alter their agreements.
John Galliano has been sued for using the works of another artist for his own collections. The British designer used replicas of a renowned U.S. photographer’s images in his latest ad campaign without acting the artist’s permission. Galliano reportedly is required to pay William Klein Eur 200,000 for the unauthorized use of his “painted contacts,†in addition to Eur 150,000 for copy right infringement, and an additional Eur 50,000 for damaging the reputation of his work, reported for poor production quality.
Klein who resides in France , is “insulted and furious†that Galliano used his images in ads that ran in several fashion magazines and were “gross plagiary.†The prints were replicas of his signature half-painted photos of street scenes. The artist has gained notoriety for his technique of using coloured enamels to highlight parts of photographs. One of these collections was recently featured at an exhibit at the Pompidou Centre in Paris where it did very well.
At last an online store dedicated to the visionary fashion designer, John Galliano. Go Go Galliano! offers an extensive collection of John Galliano clothes, shoes and accessories, including some very rare collector’s items. Go Go Galliano! also offers a few complimentary pieces by Alexander McQueen, DSquared, Balenciaga and Burberry Prorsum.
SHOP GO GO GALLIANO!
John Galliano Quick Bio:
Born: 1960, in Juan Carlos, Gibraltar
First break: “Les Incroyables,†his graduation collection at Central Saint Martins, garnered an unprecedented amount of attention and was displayed in the window of Browns in London.
Company founded: 1984
Based in: Paris
Selected awards: British Designer of the Year (1987, 1994, 1995), one of Time’s 100 Global Icons (2004)
Signature quote: “A sense of narrative inspires me. It gives me a sense of richness.â€
Worn by: David Beckham, Justin Timberlake.
In 1961 Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano was born in Gibraltar of Spanish parents Anita and Juan Carlos Galliano. In 1966 his parents emigrated to London with Juan and two daughters. He attended Wilsons Grammar School and excelled in languages. While doing his A levels, he took up textiles and put together a portfolio to present to St. Martins College of art. He was accepted.
He experimented with bias cutting, reviving and refining it. He worked with Tommy Nutter, in Savile Row, London’s famous tailors street. He noticed that sleeves swung forwards, as if cut on the curve, so that you could really move your arms. He began cutting sleeves in a spiral so that his armholes could be neat and even cut trousers on the bias to make legs look slender.