After ten years at the helm, John Galliano is leaving his post as creative director of Maison Margiela. In a statement released via Instagram, the designer said, “today is the day is I say goodbye to Maison Margiela,” adding that his “heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles.” Elsewhere in the statement, Galliano also made a reference to “the rumours”, supposedly of where he may end up next, but then concluded that “when the time is right, all will be revealed.” It’s believed that the designer, who joined the label in 2014, was approaching the end of a five-year contract and chose not to renew.
To many, news of Galliano’s exit won’t come as a surprise. Rumours have been swirling for months that the British designer wanted out, so this just confirms what most of us had already predicted. Galliano’s tenure at Maison Margiela ended on an all-time high for the designer, thanks to the success of his Artisanal 2024 collection, which captured the public’s imagination with its broken marionette looks and Pat McGrath’s glassy, porcelain make-up. The collection was then picked up by a number of celebrity clients, with custom versions worn by Bad Bunny, Ariana Grande and Gwendoline Christie at the 2024 Met Gala.
Despite Galliano’s recent successes at Margiela, rumours began swirling that his exit from the brand was thanks to a return to his former employer, Dior. Galliano was infamously fired from the brand in December 2010, but as of yet we have no news about whether he will be returning to the LVMH label.
Earlier this year, the documentary High & Low, of which Galliano was the subject, was released to critical acclaim, a film that followed the private life and career of the designer across several decades. Directed by Oscar winner Kevin MacDonald, the film charted Galliano’s rise to the top of the fashion industry through the 90s and 00s, his subsequent fall from grace, and the ensuing decade-long rehabilitation campaign.
Scroll through the gallery above to revisit all of Galliano’s greatest Margiela moments