John Galliano Is Leaving Maison Margiela

In the age of fleeting viral moments and clickbait-y content, only a select few fashion shows have made history instantaneously. This was the case when Schiaparelli sent models down the runway in faux animal heads in 2023. It happened when Bella Hadid had a dress spray painted onto her body at the Coperni presentation in 2022. But most recently, it occurred during the Maison Margiela by John Galliano Spring 2024 Couture show. Serving severely cinched waists, dreamy sheer draping and porcelain complexions (courtesy of makeup artist Pat McGrath), it was immediately lauded as an era-defining expression of boundary-less fashion. And now, we know it was Galliano’s final show for the brand.

On December 11, the famed designer announced he would be stepping down after 10 years as creative director of the French fashion house. “My heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles,” he wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. He went on to add that he was aware of months-long rumours that he might be leaving, but refrained from giving any extra details. “When the time is right, all will be revealed,” he offered. “For now, I take this time to express my immense gratitude. I continue to atone, and I will never stop dreaming.”

At Maison Margiela, John Galliano crafted an undeniably unique legacy. Bringing his flair for flamboyance, theatre and drama to the forefront, he moved the brand away from the minimalism crafted by Martin Margiela and into a realm of off-kilter whimsy and ethereal opulence.

We have him to thank for the rise of Margiela Tabis, which have become a ubiquitous staple of modern-day street style despite their unconventional hoof-toe shape. He helped Kim Kardashian go viral (yet again) at the 2024 Met Gala by dressing her in a design with a distressingly distorted waist. His shows are famously rooted in world-building; he is known to give models a character and backstory to embody before walking out in his pieces. Not abiding to the fast-paced output of other luxury labels (which often create more than six collections per year), he relishes in the details and produces at his pace. At Maison Margiela, John Galliano struck a balance of subversive and sumptuous, and now, this era is coming to a close.

What’s next? Some speculate Galliano is going back to work for Dior — he was infamously fired by the brand in 2010 after a video surfaced of him making anti-Semitic remarks. Following this, he moved to Margiela in 2014, and has since embarked on a journey of recovery from alcohol addiction. In March 2024, a documentary titled High and Low: John Galliano traced these experiences in detail. Galliano — now a decade sober — points to his recovery in his statement, citing “compassion and empathy” as changes he noticed in himself over the years.

While we don’t know where John Galliano will be going after Maison Margiela, we’re certainly not lacking in history-making moments from his tenure.

Below, click through for the best of John Galliano at Maison Margiela.

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Photography courtesy of launchmetrics.com/spotlight

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Maison Margiela Couture Spring 2024