HOW HAS HISTORY INFLUENCED JOHN GALLIANO AND HIS STORYTELLING?

Deriving from an extremely literate family who are passionate about political issues and historical afflictions, I always felt an inner enthusiasm ingrained in me for learning too. I have discovered this massively in fashion, and I adored scoping into how Charles Jeffrey used past periods like the punks to present a storytelling of non-conformity and escapism. Researching into John Galliano has enlightened my passion evermore.

In almost every Galliano collection there is a narrative rooted in a culmination of eras- some of which you’d think would clash but are miraculously strung together to create an ambiguous scene translating the past into the contemporary. This was shown in his first graduate collection of Les Incroyables, where he took great inspiration from the 1789 aristocratic subculture and captured it into a modernised rendition of romance and rebellion in the late twentieth century (TheMet, 2018). Whilst at helm of the houses of Dior and Maison Margiela, John Galliano continued to integrate a vast number of past culture into his work which cultivated his narration to an audience.

The Dior Fall 2004 Couture show confirms this substantially, as Galliano saturated his collection in inspiration from Austro-Hungarian princess, Empress Sisi, along with facets of artist Egon Schiele and Edwardian dressing, to establish a royal-looking extravaganza, magnified by oversized satin silhouettes, long fur, and chunky silver diamante jewellery. I had never considered amalgamating historical references before, but I appreciate the technicality and imagination which goes into creating such visions.

This is something I’d love to attempt because it will merge my passion for history and researching, whilst completely pushing me out of my comfort zones to create something industry would likely appreciate.

HOW DID JOHN GALLIANO SUCCEED AT DIOR?

Galliano’s duration at Dior (from 1996-2011) was heavily besmirched due to his dismissal. However, looking through his collections, you cannot deny the incredible personality and eccentricity he gifted to the brand. As one of the first British designers to take over a French fashion house (Kloster, 2020) Galliano certainly made his mark instantly in the industry by consecutively establishing the unheard of.

I perceive a considerable difference between Galliano at Dior and Galliano at Maison Margiela. At Dior, I believe John Galliano embraced his naivety and flamboyant side far more prominently. The congregation of historical influences and clashing of makeup and garments showcased a modern pop culture, creating a runway of wearable art and performance on characters. Galliano maintained Dior’s values of excellence, innovation, and bold creativity (Arnault, n.d) and he enraptured the passion, founder Christian Dior so avidly infused into the brand for femininity and elegance in his imaginative, and unparalleled taste.

John Galliano augmented his own persona and recognisable stance too, through walking his own catwalk at the end of every show, dressing up in costumes from pirates, boxers to an astronaut, to take his bowsomething I’ve noticed he no longer does at Maison Margiela. I believe Dior has lost its fantastical element now and returned back to the house’s origins of conformity and practicality. There was substance in Galliano’s collections, something which instigated everyone to stop and stare and be engrossed in the drama and storytelling, I think that’s a magical trait. I love the idea of re-conceptualising the past, as well a s the notion of models as characters- an element I found within Charles Jeffrey’s work too. As Generation Alpha are keen to explore the experiential and unique in brands, I feel by building on this ‘character’ composition, I could create something highly desirable for them, whilst still maintaining within the markets of Jeffrey, and perhaps Galliano.

HOW HAS JOHN GALLIANO RESURFACED MAISON MARGIELA?

Comparing his designs for Dior with his designs for Maison Margiela, I discerned a considerable difference in that they possess a lot more of a mature curation and higher note to romanticism and storytelling. Galliano still invokes his masterful historical references, but these have been subdued for looks which focus on uniform and the digital realm.

I find interesting, that Galliano replaced Martin Margiela, a man who avoided the limelight and didn’t intervene with the public eye- something of which John Galliano was centre of and loved provoking meticulously. However, since his departure from Dior and the publication of his rants, we have seen an obscure side to Galliano, who no longer participates in his own catwalk or interviews. Perhaps this is why he agreed to helm Margiela? This sense of privacy is reflected through the models too, who often wear materials like tulle, netting, or headwear to conceal the face. The bold makeup, synonymous with the New Romantics, which he brought to Dior has been eradicated for a primary focus on garments, how they move and how they communicate. I am infatuated by this idea; I feel it is a new form of communicating stories in motion and experience.

I see great similarities between Martin Margiela and John Galliano in that they both have a common love for French literature and 18th century costume. I believe Galliano has homed in on this as well as taking note of Margiela’s early foundations- “it was full emotion, and it was romantic. We’re not there to curate Martin’s work, that would be too much of a day job, let’s be brave and possibly shine a light on a new way to go.” I appreciate how Galliano still interprets the values of the houses he helms yet aspires to push them into a younger and ahead of the curve market so they can continue to prevail.

Galliano has always had a forward-thinking nature, and I believe this is what makes him so successful as a designer. I would like to take inspiration from this when producing my FMP.

WHY DO I CONSIDER JOHN GALLIANO AS THE ELITE AND HOW DOES HE CONTINUE TO SHOW ME THIS IMPRESSION?

Since studying John Galliano, I have learned irrefutable amounts of knowledge. His work has guided me to reconsider my FMP concept and hail a desire to incorporate an abundance of historical, cultural, and theatrical themes to establish my own form of communication.

I title him as the ‘elite’ because he has influenced masses of designers, showing not only how fashion can be deconstructed and transpired into contemporary visions, but gender, storytelling, and past periods for example, too. There is a daringness, an inextinguishable ambition and untameable imagination (Bergin, 2017) and this is infectious. His work has driven me as a creative to want to understand and produce my own robust narratives.

Observing what he is doing currently, enforces the ‘elite’ label and ahead of the curve notions I familiarise him with. Joining forces with Nick Knight, John Galliano is offering a new perception to collections, a current preliminary focus on garments and the power they have in communicating narratives through motion, without the need for music, harsh makeup, or props. Today fashions arch romanticist is making clothes inspired not by historical nostalgia, but the digitised landscape of contemporary culture, with its challenges to traditional, established notions (Fury, 2018). I admire how John Galliano remains eponymous for his controversial stance to the industry and is ceaselessly scoping for different, never following the crowds. Perceiving garments in this impression is very poetic and emphasises both Martin Margiela’s and John Galliano’s romanticised features. I’d love to incorporate poetry or a metaphorical elements within my outcomes.

Galliano has worked alongside Nick Knight and SHOWstudio before, most recently devising S.W.A.L.K and S.W.A.L.K II which give the audience an exclusive insight into the BTS developments of his Atelier, incorporating a satirical viewing and digitalised manipulation of a documentary, finalising with the fashion film itself. Galliano details a desire for transparency and new beginnings for the Maison (Knight, 2020) and I believe this is important, especially amongst the new generation of youth who appreciate transparency in brands and innovative thinking. John Galliano’s ‘elite’ thinking is pursuing Maison Margiela into a playful and contemporary curve, and I feel I should learn from his thinking and productions, so my FMP remains cutting-edge.