DIOR: And the Winner is... (who to succeed to John Galliano?)

DIOR: And the Winner is...

John Galliano is over and it makes me really sad!





  

The genius designer who incarnated so well the "Dior" style and its magnificence during 15 years has been dismissed with a disconcerting speed by "Christian Dior" and "LVMH" after John's inconvenient comments in a café in Paris when he was drunk.

  Linda Evangelista, John, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen, Amber Valletta

I can't help myself to be really surprised by the incredible speed "Dior" took the decision, even before knowing the whole story, its ins and outs. Before letting John to provide its own explanations. It makes me really suspicious, as if the whole story would have only been a pretext for the brand to part from his star designer... Rumours let understand that the creator was recently depressed and under addictions which let him more and more often away from Dior design studios...

For a while I met him recently and he was perfectly nice and apparently in good form, polite, humble and discreet as many people know him...  He was putting the finishing touches to the Dior new collection (which will be shown without John on tomorrow) as the same time he was doing the same for , its own brand "John Galliano" (which runway previously scheduled on next Sunday seems to have been cancelled).

So, what ever hapenned and has been said, the fact is that John Galliano which was until then considered as one of the finest fashion creators of all times is now considered as a leper!It is well known that fashion world is cruel and heartless.

Which future for John now? No doubt that the sunny days from before are suddenly seriously cloudy.

Everybody seem to have forgotten his incredible talent to the only reason he told infame comments under the influence of drink. It doesn't give him real excuses to his disastrous words but a little of recession could have allowed some understandings and compassion to a man who was obviously not in his normal state, certainly suffering a lot...finally just like  many cursed artists into art history.

 

AW10/11 Haute Couture incredible defile by John Galliano for Dior

This man is an artist, a fashion designer like no other.
His talent has no limit except his own human limits.
I would like we always keep in mind what he did at "Dior", for "Dior", certainly the most beautiful designs ever.

Whatever, John's future is going to be very difficult for him: out of "Dior" now, a big uncertainty glides over his own label. Indeed, 90% of the brand "John Galliano" belongs to LVMH and one can reasonably think that the Fashion Group is totally holding the designer and the "John Galliano" label futures into its hands...John Galliano is not anymore the "Dior" designer now and the big question is who will succeed him?

Some names are whispered tonight but it seems no official decision has be taken tonight.
One fact is sure, its obvious that "Dior" should not wait any longer that its tomorrow runway to make the announcement....


Finally is there a better advertising for the Dior Fashion House that this case happening right in the middle of the Paris Fashion Week?....
Finally, never the collateral damage...if it was the ulterior purpose!Everyone knows the loser tonight, but who is the winner?

I have tried to play the game and here is my list:



 1st chance to me: GARETH PUGH

No one seems to speak about him tonight, for a while we all know that Bernard Arnaud and the LVMH crew consider Gareth as his young beloved "protégé". We all know how talentuous and unique he is, creative and extravagant, english, just like John was in his time.
He already refused recently to replace the late Alexander Mcqueen at the head of the label after Alexander died, he also refused more recently to become the head designer for "Thierry Mugler", could he refuse to "Dior".Not sure, because Bernard Arnaud and LVMH financially help him for his own "Gareth Pugh" label which is not strong enough yet to have a true financial independance... we have already heard rumors in the past about a possible collaboration between "Dior Homme" and him, it was not reallistic but this time, it is! It would give an incredible modern - futuristic, I should say - kick to the traditional Dior style.The problem lies in his youth and maybe also into the fact that he is not yet enough well known from the general public...




2nd chance to me: ALBER ELBAZ

He is the current "Lanvin" designer and it is not a mystery that "Dior" would dream to steal to "Lanvin" his star designer at the time this major competitor to Dior supremacy gains market shares... Everybody agrees about his talent, no doubt he could be a great favorite.
He is the opposite of Gareth and symbolizes the typical "Chic Parisien".
All depends on how "Dior" wants to manage his future...




3rd chance to me: JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER

Eheh! Jean-Paul is a legend! John being out, he is now with Karl Lagerfeld  the last fashion heroe designer on earth.
He is able like nobody else to be the best designer for "Dior" in a very classic but inventive design as well.
He is so talentuous and productive that he can provide enough creativity at the same time for both his own label and the  "Dior" cult label. No doubt.
He has just left "Hermes" to concentrate on his own label but he is a player and the ultimate safe bet for him would definitvely be to enter into definitive history in accepting such a crazy challenge and to succeed. Yes, he can!




4th chance to me: HEDI SLIMANE

It's not a mystery that Hedi always wanted to design for women, that's officially the reason he left Dior Homme (even if I personnally don't beleive this story).
He could be the right time for him to come back on the fashion scene. 
There are about 4 years now he is away from the fashion scene and it's already almost too late to come back or let's say it the right time for him as his last chance...It would be for "Dior" like an incredible gamble with an insured buzz.It would mean, as well, that "Dior" has decided to radically change the typical "Dior" style for a younger, more simple and rockn'roll style. Again, it would be a gamble.Personnaly, I don't beleive in it even if I would be very interested in seeing what Hedi could do.My problem is that I am not sure he is able to design a "Haute Couture" collection; I see him more suitable for a "Ready to Wear" line. This would mean that in this contigency "Dior" is ready to hire 2 designers one for the main line (Haute Couture) and one for the "Ready to Wear" line. It would be more that fascinating but not impossible if "Dior" wants to reduce risks...
This is why I am keeping Hedi as a fourth chance.



5th and 6th chances to me: MARC JACOB and RICCARDO TISCI

 Marc Jacob
Finally about the same choice, in a way. They are both "belonging" to LVMH:
Marc at the head of his own label "Marc Jacob", but also at the head of "Louis Vuitton" design, another brand of LVMH group.
Riccardo at the head of "Givenchy".
Both brands of the LVMH fashion group;
Both easy to convince.
Marc Jacob has maybe more chances, I think, because Riccardo has already in his hands the destiny of "Givenchy" which already has difficulties to have a public image and only begins to get it. It should be a little bit crazy for LVMH to change again the head designer of "Givenchy"
Riccardo Tisci















It already changed so many times those last years that "Givenchy" really needs to keep on the line with the same designer for still several years. But that's interesting to know that John Galliano was also the "Givenchy" head designer when he has been appointed at the head of "Dior" creative department...My problem with both of them is that I don't see what they could bring to "Dior"...Riccardo has a true personnal style, Marc not so much for me; Riccardo is not very well known from the genral public, Marc much more but for me none of the two really match  with the Dior" cult image.If one of them is appointed by Bernard Arnaud, it will be only by poor convenience and internal promotion inside the LVMH group.













7th chance to me: I can't beleive it! : KARL LAGERFELD


Imagine, only one second, if LVMH could convince Karl to leave "Chanel" for "Dior"!!!
It would be the best advertising for "Dior" and all the group, EVER!
It would be the atomic bomb of the century! :-)
He is the CULT!
He is a great friend of Bernard Arnaud, he is a great friend of  "Dior" and "Dior Homme"...but leaving "Chanel" seems impossible...   Unless...
Imagine only a second...







8th chance to me: KRIS VAN AASCHE


Honestly, I don't really beleive in this possibility. He is already at the head of "Dior Homme" and at the head of his own label...that's already a LOT of work! Then he is young and has only recently reached the top designers status... maybe yet too young, too shy, not enough a star and maybe his style is too minimalist for "Dior". On the other hand, if "Dior" would like to give him a total confidence and a worldwide glory  and at the same time make some highlights to "Dior Homme" and join the two lines into one...it could be possible...





9th chance to me: MARTIN MARGIELA


Martin Magiela left his own label last year, certainly so sad to be under the control of "Diesel' group. he said he wanted to cond-centrate on his own life and retires. One says that it was also for heath problems but not sure. he is talentuous and worldwide known...



10th chance to me: the outsiders
Rumors, rumors...

Haider Ackermann:

talentuous but almost unknown from the general public, not truely the typica "Dior" style but recently, Karl Lagerfeld told that if there was someone to succeed him at the head of Chanel, it has to be Haider... So, when you know the great influence Karl has on Bernard Arnaud, Haider could finally be more than an outsider...




Stefano Pilati:

recently dismissed by Yves Saint Laurent, after his worst men collection ever this winter for YSL! Oh God, please not! (imo)




Christian Lacroix:

Nobody better than Christian knows what means Haute-Courure and french "Savoir Faire". He is also a Cult designer, equal to Jean-Paul Gaultier and Karl Lagerfeld. He is a synonym to magnificence.
After the banktruptcy of his own label which LMVH made absolutely nothing to save, hiring him as the head designer of "Dior" could be the real reason why LVMH did not save the french Couturier from bankruptcy, to be sure to be able to then getting him...





Rick Owens:

Already at the head of his own label plus Revillon, I can't beleive the rumor.






AND THE WINNER IS: ..............................................!!!


Whoever, "Dior" can also be the second "looser" in this sad, sad story!
To avoid any collateral damages, Dior has now already erased all references to John Galliano on all its websites and official biography, just like he has never existed, forgetting John has simply multipied the sales by 6! during his era at the haed of Dior design!
What a shame!
All in this sad story is a SHAME!!!



Birdytg.