Rarely is there a scandal in fashion of such magnitude that it outshines fashion week- but the recent events at Dior have been something of an exception. The latest question that has fashion editors abuzz is who could possibly replace Galliano at the prestigious fashion house?
Galliano had been at the reigns of the Parisian house for around 15 years, and to see him leave will be sad, but entirely justified. His shocking behaviour will forever burden his talent, and could have dragged Dior down with him, but there is no place for that kind of hatred in the world. We still can't ignore all that Galliano did for the once-ailing fashion house, despite rumours circulating that Dior were looking for an excuse to fire Galliano due to "erratic" behaviour. He reinvented the theatre of haute couture, and his successor must offer as much sparkle and drama as Galliano undoubtedly did. Drama was both his maker and his downfall.
With the Dior show in Paris essentially deemed a bit of a flop, the scandal could not have come at a better time. Galliano's work was always fabulous, but some thought it was starting to become tired and parodical, not the spectacle it once was. Names are currently flying around about who should replace him, with Stefano Pilati of YSL the bookies favourite (at time of writing- Wednesday 2nd March). Everyone has their suggestions and picks from the dark romance with couture precision of the Rodarte sisters, to the unrivalled genius of Haider Ackermann. Dior's prospects are extremely exciting, as the industry is currently buzzing with fresh, revolutionary talent ready and raring to inject sufficient life into shaken Dior.
As much as the idea of Alber Elbaz reinventing France's most prized couture house with splashes of colour and sculptural femininity would be fabulous, and as much as I would love to see Paisley-born Christopher Kane flying the flag for Scottish fashion on a global scale with his genius ability to make anything covetable (wave-cut pockets of goo, anyone?), there is only one man that I can see taking control: Riccardo Tisci.
Take the recent Academy Awards- the fact that I was more excited about Colin Firth's win than I was about the dresses says a lot. As much as everyone looked stunning, the sea of conventional red, blush and black was starting to grate on me a little bit. However, one dress took centre stage for me: Cate Blanchett in Tisci's Givenchy Haute Couture. Her gown blurred the line between high-fashion edge and elegant glamour. It was nothing short of stunning. It had that floaty, creamy grecian vibe with a directional slant of acid-bright embellishment. It had a timeless quality, which is rarely seen in such a modern dress; just as with the entire Givenchy Haute Couture collection. Nothing sugary sweet or novelty, just dresses with a flawless cut and futuristic elegance.
Riccardo Tisci has an unrivalled talent for crafting something unconventional, that still embodies glamour. He took the Givenchy name and brought it bang up to date, and right into cutting-edge territory- something that Dior could prosper from dramatically. He also has that crucial knack for keeping a low profile.
However, he is no Martin Margiela! At Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci was not scared to make controversial and unique decisions which ensured press attention, without any sense of celebrity. He was one of the first designers to put androgynous male model Andrej Pejic on his womenswear catwalk and sparked a huge buzz because of this, he also was responsible for one of the most strikingly beautiful ad campaigns this season with the Mert & Marcus shots featuring an albino model.
He makes a statement and a drama in a contrasting way from Galliano, and his discreet manner is exactly what the house of Dior needs.
GALLIANO UPDATE: He showed his latest collection in Paris, a report coming soon!
