However comfortably or uncomfortably you come to terms with Galliano’s return, there’s no denying the appeal of his unique brand of opulence or his impact. Take a look at one of his many extravagant couture shows for Dior during his 15-year tenure—an ode to ancient Egypt that had models gliding down the runway in gold leaf, lapis-lazuli-hued snakeskin and evening gowns resembling sarcophagi for spring/summer 2004 comes
to mind—and it’s clear that he brought a larger-than-life quality to the runway at a time when fashion held an outsized role in pop culture. Or consider his mastery of the bias-cut slip-dress, which became a hallmark of the aughts thanks to the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker on Sex and the City. “At the height of his fame, he was at the crossroads of culture—Dior mixed celebrity, music, fashion, art and fantasy,” says Alexis Novak, who founded the Los Angeles-based designer archive Tab Vintage and has seen an uptick in interest in vintage Galliano over the past year from celebrity clients like Amal Clooney.
Has Galliano paid penance since being banished from the upper echelons of the industry? Or does he just have friends in high places? According to Dana Thomas, author of Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, his return to favour has been the result of “the unconditional support of Anna Wintour,” who had a hand in giving his recent work a platform in the fashion world. (Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have also been vocal supporters of Galliano; Moss even hired him to design her wedding dress a few months after his fall from grace.)
Even in his earliest days, Galliano delivered the fantasy, which explains why so many are willing, as they always have been, to go to bat for him. Case in point: His graduate collection at Central Saint Martins in 1984 was a pastiche of post-Revolutionary French garb complete with off-kilter ruffles and bows, couture buttons and exaggerated New Romantic silhouettes, and it showcased his remarkable talent for transforming historical references into seminal moments in fashion. (The collection was sold in its entirety to the London department store Browns.)