Star designer John Galliano is set to exit Maison Margiela after 10 years leading the OTB-owned brand.
The designer confirmed the news with a lengthy statement on Instagram. “Today is the day I saw goodbye to Maison Margiela… I am forever grateful for this safe space to create and build a new family that supports me with courage and dignity,” he wrote, thanking his atelier and Renzo Rosso, chairman of OTB.
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The brand, founded by the ultra-secretive Martin Margiela, gave Galliano a platform for easing back into the spotlight as he sought redemption after a drug- and alcohol-fuelled rant saw him ousted from Dior in 2011.
Margiela’s business steadily climbed in recent years as Galliano infused its collections with campy, theatrical innovations, deconstructed designs and a gender-fluid sensibility as well as pushing the craftsmanship and creative impact of its “Artisanal” line to new heights. Sales rose 22 percent in 2023 even as the wider luxury market slowed.
An ultra-viral January 2024 show further cemented Galliano’s legacy as one of fashion’s greatest-ever storytellers, as history-drenched couture characters haunted a misty show space under a bridge in Paris in glassy mask-like makeup by Pat McGrath.
“Working with John was one of the most significant and
impactful experiences of my life. He mentored me and showed me his vision, enriching me culturally and allowing me to bring some of that vision and culture to the rest of the group,” said OTB chairman Renzo Rosso. “Our industry has a habit of thinking in decades and these 10 years of incredibly intense work, amazing shows and installations, extraordinarily beautiful product, have laid the foundations for the future of Maison Margiela which I am very excited about.”
Galliano did not elaborate on his future plans, instead saying that “when the time is right, all will be revealed.”
But sources familiar with the matter say his former employer LVMH, which owns Dior, has sought a rapprochement with the designer in recent months as it reshuffles its creative ranks.
One of the conglomerate’s biggest fashion brands, Fendi, has yet to name a new womenswear designer after Kim Jones stepped down from the role in October.
