The Good Designer, the Bad Behavior and the Ugly Bag

Over the weekend John Galliano’s mouth got him into a spot of trouble. Well, a lot of trouble. Galliano was arrested on Thursday night after getting into an altercation with a couple seated near him at a Paris nightspot. Galliano (allegedly) used a racially charged language towards the couple in question and made scathing remarks about the woman’s boots and handbag. The House of Dior reacted by suspending the designer while the incident is being investigated. The couple have decided to press charges and Galliano in turn has filed a defamation suit.

Photograph: Benoit Tessier/Reuters

The fashion community is divided with some saying that he was on his own time when the incident happened and others saying that his actions, regardless of where or when they take place reflect on the Dior brand. Regardless of whether or not the couple in question were provoking him, it’s totally inexcusable to use racist slurs.

As for the future of the House of Dior without Galliano? We’ll have to wait and see. With a show scheduled for this Friday, the design team must be scrambling to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch. The fact is, until the investigation is concluded, all we can do is speculate. If the allegations are true, I agree with Franca Sozzani, editor of Italian Vogue who says this is a problem that goes beyond fashion. Galliano is an extremely influential figure in a highly coveted position. This isn’t the type of behavior we want young people to look up to and certainly not what we expect from someone who heads a brand like Dior.

At least he’s still designing Kate Moss’ wedding dress. She knows all about personal scandals and rehabilitating her public image. Maybe she can give some tips…

The Good Designer, the Bad Behavior and the Ugly Bag