)
‘Unbelievable! I work for Dior!'
John Galliano (b. 1960), the most flamboyant designer of our time, is renowned for his fairy-tale glamour, sensational shows, and theatrical make-up and styling.
This British designer graduated from the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London in 1984 with Les Incroyables, a show inspired by the French Revolution. Fashion cognoscenti spotted his genius immediately - Paris was calling. After a difficult start as a freelancer for Plein Sud and other labels and a few months with Givenchy, he at last started to taste victory. Thanks to the support of Anna Wintour of Vogue, the whole world was introduced to his ingenuity - and the rest is history. Since 1996, Galliano has shone in his role as Artistic Director at Dior and he is especially celebrated for his craftsmanship.
Galliano's collections are an eclectic mix of cultures - Asia is his favourite - and a generous dose of fantasy. ‘As a designer you have to dream,' he says. Besides the outrageously impractical haute couture and the various prêt-à-porter collections he designs for Dior, Galliano also creates trend-setting women's and men's fashion and a jeans line under his own name.