Fast fashion giant Zara has launched a new collection by designer John Galliano, despite controversy surrounding his past. Galliano, whose exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was cancelled last month following backlash over his 2011 antisemitic comments, has collaborated with Zara on a collection titled Re{form}.
The Collection and Its Context
The Re{form} collection, described in a press release as “authored by the couturier John Galliano. Built from our memory. Made for now,” hit Zara stores amid renewed attention on Galliano’s past offences. This comes a month after the Met decided not to proceed with an exhibition celebrating Galliano’s work, which had drawn significant public criticism. The planned Met exhibition would have marked only the third occasion a living designer was so honoured, following in the footsteps of Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo in 2017.
Reactions to the Launch
The decision to cancel the Met exhibition was met with widespread approval from critics, including Met patrons and Jewish leaders, who voiced their objections. Dana Thomas, Galliano’s biographer, labelled the exhibition plan as “a terrible idea” given his prior antisemitic remarks. However, some in the fashion industry, such as Vogue’s Anna Wintour, defended Galliano, citing his subsequent atonement and arguing that forgiveness is due more than a decade later. Galliano himself acknowledged the pain his words had caused, particularly to Jewish and Asian communities, and expressed his deep regret.
Zara’s Strategic Move
According to designers and critics, Zara’s collaboration with Galliano is a significant milestone. Orsola de Castro described it as the “coup of their career,” emphasising the prestige of securing Galliano’s designs. Fashion critic Philippe Pourhashemi concurred, noting that the collaboration with Galliano, despite his past, indicates a strategic manoeuvre by Zara to elevate its brand image in a competitive market.
Market Positioning and Future Prospects
The collection, priced between £17.99 and £699, is part of Zara’s effort to portray itself as a provider of affordable luxury, distinguishing itself from competitors like Shein and Primark, as well as from its own budget brand, Lefties. Tony Glenville, a fashion historian, suggested that Zara’s primary interest lies in enhancing its reputation rather than driving sales directly, viewing the collaboration as more of a marketing hook.
Galliano’s Role and Zara’s Vision
Galliano is renowned for his theatrical designs, as seen in his 1984 graduate collection Les Incroyables, which inspired the current collection. With a two-year contract, it’s suggested that Zara aims to benefit from the designer’s prestige with minimal risk. If the collections prove successful, Zara may extend Galliano’s involvement.
Zara, owned by Inditex, did not provide a comment on the launch. However, excitement was palpable outside Zara’s Bond Street store at the collection’s release, suggesting high customer anticipation.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.