The rumors were true: John Galliano is officially bidding farewell to Maison Margiela, after 10 years of path-forging creativity and history-making fashion moments as the French House's creative director.
"Today is the day I saw Goodbye to Maison," Galliano wrote on Instagram. "My heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles. For I am 14 years old today—14 years sober. Living a better life than I ever dreamt possible, and this is thanks to two people—two truly beautiful people who I both love and cherish." He chose to keep the identities of those two people anonymous before going on to address the rumors of where he might be headed next.
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"The rumors...Everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to dream. When the time is right, all will be revealed. For now, I take this time to express my immense gratitude. I continue to atone, and I will never stop dreaming. I, too, need to dream."
He remembers a conversation he had with Margiela-owner Renzo Rosso about the concept of "legacy" at a Halloween party in Tokyo earlier this year. "This conversation prompted an unexpected question from him about my thoughts on John Galliano. I explained that I had mourned the loss of JG and my previous identity, but I am much happier with the new version of JG. I strive daily to be a better version of this person."
Galliano assumed Margiela’s top seat in 2014, a mere three and a half years after he was fired from Dior for two drunken, antisemitic rants in Paris cafés, for which he was convicted of “public insults” based on origin, religion, race or ethnicity.
But after a decade of expertly purveying Margiela’s artistic fashion language, years of repopularizing the House’s adored Tabi silhouette, and a 2024 Artisanal show that stopped the industry in its tracks, incited a doll-like beauty revolution and earned a glowing review from The New York Times’ chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, who called it “the sort of immersive show that hasn’t been seen in more than a decade,” Galliano’s powerful vision has overshadowed any remnant of his former unruliness.
He thanks Rosso for the "goodness and kindness" the businessman showed him 10 years ago. "The greatest, most precious gift he gave me was the opportunity to once again find my creative voice when I had become voiceless. My wings mended, and I better understood the all-consuming act of creativity."
He recounts an epiphany he had while speaking with Martin Margiela about taking on the role. The namesake designer told Galliano, "Take what you will from the DNA of the House, protect yourself, and make it your own...you know how to." In that moment, he decided he was ready to take on the esteemed position.
He concluded his message, "I'll readily admit I'm demanding and difficult to run with when challenged, but look at what we have built."
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