Christian Dior has presented a catwalk collection at Paris Fashion Week without its star designer John Galliano.
Luxury fashion brand Dior sacked chief designer Galliano after he allegedly made anti-Semitic comments in a video.
Dior CEO Sidney Toledano made a statement on the catwalk before the show, discussing the “very painful” situation regarding Galliano’s alleged anti-Semitism.
A-list celebrities shunned the Dior show today (Friday). Normally it is attended by a raft of celebrities such as Charlize Theron, Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue.
But on Friday, only a handful of little-known French starlets attended.
Dior has invested heavily in the collection, so if it had cancelled, it would have lost a season’s worth of orders from buyers.
Galliano had been Dior’s top designer for 15 years. Successors that have been mooted include Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci.
This will be the first time in recent history that a big fashion brand has presented a catwalk collection without its star designer.
John Galliano faces jail after anti-Semitic abuse
John Galliano’s own label will be hosting a show on Sunday afternoon in the gardens of the Rodin museum. The collection will not be shown as a catwalk show, but in a presentation format.
The future of Galliano’s brand is uncertain as it cannot survive without Dior’s backing. Dior owns 92 per cent of the brand whose wares are sold in department stores.
Some fashion editors and buyers have said they plan to boycott Galliano’s show.
Galliano’s spokesman said he is no longer in Paris.
‘Racist’ Galliano slammed by Natalie Portman, sacked by Dior
The designer faces trial over the accusations that he made racist remarks in public and in October. Galliano denies the allegations. He is currently thought to be in rehab.
