Just days before the Dior show, designer John Galliano has been fired from the design house. The news comes right after Natalie Portman, Dior spokeswoman and face of Parfums Christian Dior, spoke out about the designer’s disgraceful anti-Semitic behavior and disassociated herself from the designer.
After John Galliano was arrested for making anti-Semitic comments and alleged assault on Feb. 24 in Paris he was immediately suspended from the design house. Now the designer has officially been fired after a video of a drunk Galliano saying, “I love Hitler,” was released on Feb. 28. In the video, the designer also told two people they “should have been gassed.” The news comes just days before the Christian Dior show, which is scheduled for Mar. 4 during Paris Fashion Week.
Sidney Toledano, Dior’s president and chief executive officer, said, “I condemn most firmly the statements made by John Galliano which are a total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the House of Christian Dior.” He isn’t the only one speaking out — earlier today A-lister Natalie Portman and face of Miss Dior Cherie perfume released a statement denouncing the designer.
“I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano’s comments that surfaced today,” Portman told WWD. “In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.”
Betty Botox
Posted at 12:09 PM on March 1, 2011
In an industry that is virtually totally Jewish (worldwide) a non-Jewish designer is given the opportunity to shine and this is how he thanks everyone! Having followed his career for decades, he is the last person I would have pegged for anti-semitic! He is close friends with American designers who are Jewish. They visit him in Paris and party with him. What must THEY be thinking?! He can apologize until the cows come home but no one is going to forgive or forget what he said. His career is toast. Will he pull a McQueen? I think so.