Just on the heels of fashion week comes news that Oscar de la Renta has hired John Galliano to join his studio. Yes! Galliano, as in the former Christian Dior creative director who got booted out after a drunken anti-Semitic rant on the cobble stoned streets of Paris two years ago. It’s been a battle for the infamous designer who truly put the French label on the fashion map with his avant garde collections.
We believe in the power of forgiveness and second chances so Galliano’s return to fashion is a welcomed one. We get it, everyone makes mistakes and the things people do when sh*t faced can be baffling but how many of us have witnessed ourselves on video doing so? The designer made a mistake and has apologized for it. It’s time for us all to move on and stop dwelling on the past and look to the future. Plus aren’t we doing fashion a disservice by letting his creative talents go to waste?
WWD reports that De la Renta’s decision to hire Galliano may have been Anna Wintour’s idea. Remember the photos of Anna and Galliano in Paris last year? She’s never given up on him and we applaud that.
De la Renta tells WWD:
“John and I have known each other for many years and I am a great admirer of his talent. He has worked long and hard on his recovery and I am happy to give him the opportunity to reimmerse himself in the world of fashion and reacclimate in an environment where he has been so creative. I think John is doing all the right things. Everyone in life deserves a second chance, especially someone as talented as John. I think that life is about forgiving and helping people.…I think John is doing all the right things.”
Though it’s not clear Galliano’s role at De la Renta, we’re happy to see him back. Galliano talked about his recovery and remorse to WWD, saying:
“I am an alcoholic. I have been in recovery for the past two years. Several years prior to my sobriety, I descended into the madness of the disease. I said and did things which hurt others, especially members of the Jewish community. I have expressed my sorrow privately and publicly for the pain which I caused, and I continue to do so. I remain committed to making amends to those I have hurt. I am grateful to Oscar beyond words for inviting me to spend time with him in the familiar surroundings of a design studio. His support and faith in me is humbling.”
If you’ve ever been denied to an Oscar de la Renta fashion show during fashion week, don’t hold your breath for credentials because with Galliano’s return, this show is going to be a must attend by all A-listers.
