John Galliano's Triumphant Return to Fashion

Fashion’s breadth in all its extremes has never been embodied by anything like John Galliano‘s career. It’s one that’s been thrust from applaud to scandal, and seen the Gibraltar-born British fashion designer go from acclaimed Christian Dior designer to pariah of the public for a very drunk and disastrous anti-Semitic rant. Now, the new creative director of Maison Margiela reveals life after anger and addiction with WWD, as well as his triumphant return with the Artisanal collection for Spring 2015. Catch excerpts from the interview below and read the full WWD piece here.

Are you interested in expanding, perhaps into menswear?

Step by step. There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes kind of reassessing the fit and the cut, how it feels. I spent a lot of time working here and in Italy redefining that because the Collective had done a fantastic job, but it had become what’s known as a contemporary line, and now it’s a designer line. The fit wasn’t quite what I felt it should be. It’s been intense.

How do you feel right now?

Really good. Really good and so grateful to be experiencing what I am experiencing. To be given this second chance and to be reconnected and to be creating. I’m so grateful.

To whom are you grateful?

God. And of course, there’s been incredible support from the industry as well. You know, it’s not been easy. It’s hard work and daily work. But I am so grateful just to be able to reconnect with a creative process and with people. It’s wonderful.

Support from whom?

Very solid support from people in the industry who have believed in me, cared about me. And taken the time in my deepest, darkest hour to stay in touch and encourage me. That’s been amazing. Anna [Wintour] has been incredible. And Jonathan, Mr. Newhouse [chairman and chief executive of Condé Nast International]. Just a constant support when one had maybe lost faith in humankind.

Is your approach different now?

It’s personal for everyone, how you create a collection…I see myself or my behaviors in other people. I recognize obsessive people…I say to myself, “Let it go, John, let it go. You’re not going to win. The only person that is suffering is you. Let it go. She’s not feeling any of your anger and she’s never going to feel it.” [Before] I was totally unaware of what motivates some people, I was self-willing. I used to self-will all of the time and along with that, I made other people help me achieve. It was never God’s will. It’s not what God wanted. Now, I see when a fitting’s not happening. I’m just like, let it go. Before, we would suffer. I would get there and I thought it was perfection. It wasn’t really perfect at all.

What made you decide that you were ready?

I’m not saying I was completely ready. But I felt in my recovery I had tackled a lot of issues. Then Oscar [de la Renta] reached out to me. Nothing was planned, really. I felt strong enough to go to New York. Oscar was so protective, like a father almost. I felt safe. That helped. It’s been step by step, there’s not one moment you wake up and say, “OK, I’m ready to start creating.” Mr. Rosso had approached me the year before, and when he approached me I was definitely not ready.

Why did you retain the white lab coats?

It was emotion…it was trying to construct a couture house. That’s what you wear in couture houses, the lab coat.…His aspiration [was] for a couture house. And the white chairs. They were all different. To give a harmony, he painted them all white. That whole white-coat thing became a DNA. I guess this myth, it’s built and built and built. It was an organic thing that grew. The other thing about the white coat, it helps you to focus a bit in fittings because there are no distractions. Still, my mind will wander. You focus on how people still try to denote differences, whether it’s a red lip or the heel gets higher. You read that.

Do you pay attention to the conversation of whether the shows should be timed to the consumer schedule?

It’s something I’m very passionate about. We are all creating this desire with social media. It’s wonderful, but it’s kind of taken us over a little bit. Maybe this whole world needs some balance, to know when to stop. We are creating a desire, people want it, they want to wear it now. I think everyone will find their way of dealing with this, and at Maison Margiela, we will find a way of rising to this challenge. There is not a formula. There’s nothing to say a part of the collection can’t be bought [early] if I could get my hands on the fabrics in time. That’s our life today, and I am connected to that. The one thing I would like to bring back to that equation is the emotional aspect of it… On Sunday, I went to Selfridges. I walked past a little tray of gloves and the fit was great and I said, “I’ll buy six of these.” You understand the instant-gratification desire.

What are your biggest character flaws and strengths? Flaws first.

I jump to conclusions, I can be irritable. Sometimes it’s very simple; I haven’t eaten. I can be impatient, I put a lot of pressure on myself.

Greatest strengths?

Well, looking at my life, I would say resilience. And I’m from South London — having a sense of humor.