The Cringe Factor Behind John Galliano and Oscar de la Renta's Collaboration

one thing that is always hard to deal with is watching someone you never want to have to dislike do something completely deplorable and, essentially, unlikable. i hate to admit that, if it had been almost anyone else who had made those horrible, anti-semitic remarks, in two-thousand-eleven, i would have felt utter rage before anything else but it wasn't anyone but john galliano, one of my idols and someone i loved to like. that isn't to say i wasn't terribly angered by the news of the outburst but i first felt shock, then the horrible sinking feeling of disappointment and then, after all of that, i was right pissed. the higher the pillar, i guess, and i know i'm far from the only one to have struggled with feelings such as these.

i understand that addiction is a disease. i have seen people close to me fight it and win and i have seen others lose the battle badly enough to have ended up dead. i get that. what i don't get is that this was an act of hate. i don't care how drunk or high you are or even if you tend to really fly into a rage when intoxicated. there is general anger and then there is the type of anger and hatred directed at another race or religion. a line that i don't feel has anything to do with simply being blitzed. that said, i am happy that he sought rehabilitation and has apparently been on the wagon since.

four days ago, it was announced that john galliano was invited by oscar de la renta to work with him in his new york studio for three weeks. i get that there is a giant, galliano-shaped hole in the world of fashion when he is not creating and again, i hate having to dislike anything about him but all of this has me on the edge of my seat and not in a good way. i've waited this long to write about it because i wanted to see how everyone else would react to it. i'm not usually one to play it safe when it comes to speaking my mind and i don't encourage it in others but i must say that the well-known members of the high fashion community that are keeping their remarks with regards to this positive but without elaboration are the ones not making me cringe. alexandra shulman's "this is terrific," tweet is a fine example of this. nina garcia also tweeted on the matter, saying, "welcome to new york, john galliano!" both statements are pleasant and welcoming without defending his actions.

the anti-defamation league claims that he has "demonstrated effort to learn from his remarks about jews, hitler and the holocaust." the organization's national director, abraham foxman, also stated, "we believe that individuals can change their hearts and minds as long as they demonstrate true contrition."

i wholeheartedly agree with the latter half of these statements but on what planet must one be living in order to have not learned enough about the holocaust that you would need to, as an adult, be educated on the matter so that you can stop hurling anti-semitic remarks at people, when you're drunk. he used the term "gassed", for crying out loud. this was hatred and not ignorance.

headlines like rt.com's "fashion's bad boy is back on track: john galliano to work for oscar de la renta," are what's not helping the matter. to use a playful term such as "bad boy" in this case is, in my opinion, inappropriate. and, easy tigers, he's going to be there for three weeks, in order to supply oscar de la renta with his input on the upcoming collection and then they and everyone else will see what happens.

all of this having been said, i, along with slew of other people, am anxiously awaiting the results of this alliance and i do think this was a smart business move on oscar de la renta's part, as all eyes are now on them and will be straight into fashion week.

in 2011, john galliano was hired by kate moss to design her wedding dress.
photo source: patmoyerweddings.com

Posted in: addiction,alcoholism,anti-defamation league,anti-semitic,fashion,fashion week,john galliano,my take on,oscar de la renta,rehab,style