John Galliano joins Margiela

UPDATE, 10/6: OTB Group, the owner of Maison Margiela, confirmed today that John Galliano has been appointed creative director at Maison Martin Margiela. Galliano will oversee couture, women's ready-to-wear and menswear for the fashion label. The designer's first collection for the house is set to debut at Couture Week in Paris this January. [WWD]



After years off of the catwalk, Page Six is reporting that John Galliano is staging a return to the runway and it's going to be "bigger and better" according to the designer. Sources tell the paper that the former Dior designer will launch a couture line for Maison Martin Margiela. Margiela has been without a creative director since 2009 when the house's namesake founder departed the brand, since then a "collective" has been at the helm—save, of course, for leaked rumors of a secret creative director.



There have been starts and stops for Galliano, who faded from the public eye after being filmed making anti-Semetic remarks in 2011, including a stint at Oscar de la Renta in an unnamed role in 2013. Sources also tell Page Six, "He has already hired five or six staff members for his atelier in Paris." Margiela is currently owned by the majority shareholder, Diesel Brand's Renzo Rosso. Although Rosso did not comment on the rumors, Galliano's rep tells the paper, "He’s having active and ongoing conversations with a few companies." The next couture shows are in January in Paris, so we may not have to wait long for an answer.



source