British designer John Galliano, the king of theatrics and extravagance, has spent the last decade revitalising his relationship with fashion while at the helm of Parisian couturier Maison Margiela. Emerging on the scene in the 1990s as an alumni of Central Saint Martins, Galliano has been lauded as one of the most incisively brilliant designers in the modern era. Now, it seems, Galliano is concluding his tenure at Maison Margiela, with reports that he will not be renewing his contract when it expires at the end of this year. 

As HYPEBEAST reports, “sources in the industry have reported that Galliano is ready for change. Maison Margiela’s owner Renzo Rosso has reportedly urged Galliano to stay at the house, but despite ample requests, Galliano is said to have made up his mind about not renewing his contract with the Paris-based fashion house.” This speculation has been amplified by Galliano wiping his Instagram, generally noted as a digital strategy in signalling change.

This year has been regarded as the most successful for Galliano’s tenure at Maison Margiela; while industry insiders and fans have noted his work at the house for the last decade, his 2024 ‘Artisanal Collection’ show in January under the Pont Alexandre III swept the stage, with mass congratulation and many saying this show single handedly brought back ‘true fashion’ against the swathe of logomanic, hyper-consumption in luxury fashion. The show suffused the mood of early 20th century Paris and Galliano’s love for burlesque, along with fabric manipulation techniques that evoked distortion of the body and brought to question notions of beauty outside the constraints of societal norms. 

Maison Margiela Artisanal Co-ed 2024 Collection by John Galliano, sourced via @maisonamargiela IG

Wanting to leave on high note feels pertinent for a designer like John Galliano, who along with his brilliance, has been no stranger to difficulty – marked by intense pressures in the fashion industry and personal battles with addictions and controversy, which ultimately led to him being fired from Dior in 2011. Perhaps as a means to rewrite this past incident, Galliano’s foresight in knowing that this current moment is the best time to leave could speak to the immense growth and solace he has found at Maison Margiela – a brand that he has made his home, and his own, with the reported blessing of Martin Margiela himself as detailed by System Magazine.

Some are saying the designer could head to Fendi, though nothing has been confirmed regarding his exit from Margiela – and a return to Dior seems very unlikely, given his history with the house. With John Galliano’s redemptive arch continuing and the promise of a healthier, ‘second’ career in fashion – we look forward with bated breath to see fashion’s darling ‘enfants terribles’ next and no doubt exceptional, move.

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