100 Most Influential People in Fashion

Fashion Influential #14: John Galliano

John Galliano attends the 5th Anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund at Skylight Studios on November 17, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images North America)

JOHN GALLIANO
Born:
November 28, 1960 in Gibraltar
Worked for:
Galliano, Givenchy, Christian Dior
Awards:
British Fashion Designer of the Year for 1987, 1994, 1995 and 1997. Dress of the Year Fashion Museum, Bath for 1988.
Celebrity fans:
Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Gisele Bundchen, Drew Barrymore, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Cameron Diaz Beginnings.
John Galliano (born Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano Guillén) graduated from St. Martin's College of Art and Design with a first-class degree collection inspired by the French Revolution, which he called Les Incroyables. Soon after, the entire collection was purchased by Joan Burstein for her London shop Brown's.

Career Highs.
Galliano was named British Designer of the Year in 1987, 1994 and 1997 (when he shared the title with Alexander McQueen). He became the creative director for Givenchy in Paris in 1995, and a year later he accepted the same title for the house of Christian Dior.

I want perfection, from the set to the shoot to the show, down to the sequins. Why do it for less? This is my life. Research is what feeds my mind. Creating is what keeps me awake as much as it gets me up every morning. My work is my training, my learning, my adventure. I don't want to keep up; I don't want to be predictable. I want to challenge and seduce ... to push myself and my team to reinvent perfection. We are on a quest, and that is our treasure.
- John Galliano

Models on the runway at the 2009 Christian Dior Cruise Collection.
Career Lows.
Steven Robinson, who was head of the Galliano and Dior studios (and Galliano's best friend) died in 2007. Galliano has said that moving on and working without this anchor of friendship has been extremely difficult. In terms of lows, there have also been comparisons between Galliano and the character Mugatu in the movie Zoolander, portrayed by a hilarious Will Ferrell.

Legacy.
Galliano has the burden of Christian Dior's couture legacy in addition to his own. For Dior, Galliano's influence has been one of escape and fantasy, travel and romance. He has changed the proportions of the clothing we wear, cutting on the bias (against the grain of the fabric) and creating sexy, feminine lines. His designs crowded the red carpet, setting a new standard for gowns that would fit close to the body and hug the curves of a woman's silhouette.

Heidi Klum in a stunning Galliano dress at the 2008 Oscars.
Get the Look.
Galliano is known for his flair for the theatrical: dramatic lines, outrageous colors, and flamboyant costuming are present in all of his collections. His clothes have been inspired by beekeepers, French revolutionaries, North African suqs, Edwardian garden parties - you name it. He designs pieces that are extremely modern but always nod to the historical. Don't be afraid to transform yourself into a different character or time period. - Olivia