John Galliano Is Leaving Margiela

As it turns out, the internet-breaking Maison Margiela Artisanal show in January was John Galliano’s swansong at the house. The designer is leaving after 10 years, he announced in a heartfelt post on Instagram.

For now, Galliano is tight lipped on his next move. “The rumours…Everyone wants to know and everyone wants to dream. When the time is right, all will be revealed,” the designer wrote. “For now I take this time to express my immense gratitude. I continue to atone and will never stop dreaming.”

Galliano was appointed creative director at Margiela in 2014, his first posting since his scandalous exit from Dior in 2011. (His redemption journey was charted in the documentary High and Low: John Galliano, released in March this year on Amazon Prime). Since then, he’s taken the cult label, beloved of art and fashion insiders under incredibly private founder Martin Margiela, to new heights.

“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 Renzo Rosso, chairman of Maison Margiela owner OTB Group in a statement released today. “I feel privileged to have worked with two legends like Martin [Margiela] and John. Martin made this house a reference and an icon, John made it the most cutting-edge couture house in the world.”

Galliano’s cultural impact and technical and inventive Margiela creations have had a halo effect on the brand as a whole, Rosso told Vogue Business in a recent interview. OTB took full ownership of the brand in 2006. Founder Margiela retired in 2009, and the label was run by an anonymous team (one that for a time included Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy) until Galliano’s appointment.

OTB doesn’t break out revenues, but Margiela sales grew 23 per cent in 2023, even before the January show. Similarly, sales grew 24 per cent in the 2021-2022 period. An example of Galliano’s impact is that the Tabi, the iconic Margiela shoe originally launched in 1988, has become ubiquitous on the streets of Paris, London, New York and other major fashion capitals in recent years since he’s boosted brand awareness. The shoe even became the subject of a viral story on TikTok, in which a New York man stole a pair after a date, which was covered by Vogue, Dazed and The New York Times. There are 26.5 million posts that mention “Tinder tabi thief” on the platform.

Widely revered as one of fashion’s most talented couturiers, Galliano creates a world and a story behind his clothes. He famously briefs his models on the entire backstory of their look, from Kate Moss as a runaway princess (John Galliano spring/summer 1994) to Gwendoline Christie as a sultry doll in the most recent Margiela couture show (spring/summer 2024).

Speculation continues to swirl about Galliano’s next move. But any other appointment, particularly at the big LVMH or Kering houses, would certainly be a change of pace for the designer. In a fashion world dominated by novelty, clickbait and low-hanging fruit, as most luxury houses churn out in excess of six collections a year, Galliano has remained staunchly dedicated to slower, intricately considered fashion. At times, Margiela has shown sporadically over recent years, in line with Galliano’s own schedule rather than the break-neck fashion calendar.

As for the empty seat at Margiela, the rumour mill has already been churning. When asked about Glenn Martens’s work at Diesel in a recent Vogue Business interview, OTB’s Rosso likened him to Galliano: “It’s really thanks to Glenn that [Diesel] is becoming so cool, so fantastic,” he said. “Glenn is a couturier, not just a designer. Like John Galliano, couturiers have a different way of designing. Every single piece has a story to tell.”

Fourteen years sober today, Galliano is humble about the opportunity Margiela and Rosso afforded him. “Gratitude to my fashion family for this life-saving creative moment and the safe place we have built together. My teams, whose support has been tender and courageous, have walked with me along this narrow pathway to the here and now.”

Rosso is confident in the future of Margiela, building on Galliano’s legacy. “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,” he said in a statement. “I wish my dear friend John the best of everything, and I know that there will be other projects for us to collaborate in the future.”