The fashion world is split over Vogue UK magazine’s decision to use disgraced designer John Galliano as guest fashion editor for its December edition.
British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman described Mr Galliano — who faced criminal charges after a drunken antisemitic rant in 2011 — as a designer “informed by a richness of imagination and history”.
Eve Pollard, the former editor of Elle US who now designs Eve Pollard dresses, said Ms Shulman would not have asked Mr Galliano “unless she was sure he regretted his vile behaviour”.
But she added: “We’re now talking about it. This is what she dreams of — the publicity.”
Former Cosmopolitan UK editor Marcelle d’Argy Smith said she would not have employed Mr Galliano.
“He said dreadful things and people say what they really think when they’re drunk,” she said.
But Israeli-designer Ronen Chen, was ready to forgive Mr Galliano’s outburst.
“Everybody can slip sometimes and Galliano, an extremely gifted designer, has a kind of ‘immunity’.
“He was under the heavy influence of drugs and alcohol, and was a bit over the edge.”
JC Fashion Editor Tamara Corin said: “This will particularly rub up Vogue's Jewish readers the wrong way. They'll feel disappointed that he is given such an editorial honour considering his antisemitic comments and actions.”
But Jan Shure, from fashion website SoSensational.co.uk and former JC fashion editor, said: “Galliano is a hugely talented designer. I don’t think he should be punished forever for what was, almost certainly, a major emotional breakdown.”
A spokesperson for Vogue UK would not confirm if any complaints had been received. She said: “Galliano styled one four page fashion shoot as a one off creative exercise.”
Mr Galliano was filmed in September 2011 telling two Jewish women in a Paris cafe that he loved Hitler. He was dismissed from his post at Christian Dior and convicted of making “public insults”.
He has repeatedly apologised for his remarks.
