John Galliano
Designer in a two-year creative partnership with Zara, announced March 2026
John Galliano is a Gibraltar-born British designer who led Givenchy and then Christian Dior from 1996 to 2011, becoming one of the most influential couturiers of his generation, and who was creative director of Maison Margiela from 2014 to December 2024. In March 2026 Zara announced a two-year creative partnership in which he reinterprets pieces from the retailer's archive, with the first collection launched in September 2026.
| Current project | Two-year creative partnership with Zara (announced March 2026) |
|---|---|
| Dior | Creative director, 1996 to 2011 |
| Maison Margiela | Creative director, 2014 to December 2024 |
| Education | Central Saint Martins, 1984 |
| Born | 1960, Gibraltar |
| Nationality | British |
Who is John Galliano?
John Galliano was born in Gibraltar in 1960 and grew up in London. He is known for romantic, historically inspired and highly theatrical fashion, and for a mastery of bias cutting and couture technique. Over four decades he has worked for some of the most prominent houses in Paris.
Career
Galliano graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1984. His graduate collection, Les Incroyables, inspired by the French Revolution, was bought in its entirety by the London boutique Browns. He was named British Designer of the Year four times, in 1987, 1994, 1995 and 1997.
- 1995: head designer of Givenchy, appointed by Bernard Arnault
- 1996 to 2011: creative director of Christian Dior, succeeding Gianfranco Ferré
- 2013: temporary residency at Oscar de la Renta
- 2014 to December 2024: creative director of Maison Margiela for OTB
- March 2026: two-year creative partnership with Zara announced
At Givenchy he became the first British designer to head a French haute couture house. He moved to Christian Dior in 1996, where his spectacular couture shows and products such as the Saddle bag became defining images of the house under LVMH. He was dismissed by Dior in 2011 after making antisemitic remarks that were widely reported.
After a period away, he returned with a residency at Oscar de la Renta in 2013 and was appointed creative director of Maison Margiela by Renzo Rosso's OTB group in 2014, a role he held for a decade until December 2024.
Influence on the fashion business
Galliano's Dior years are often cited as a model for how a creative director's spectacle can energise a heritage house inside a luxury group. His latest move is notable for a different reason. In March 2026 Zara announced a two-year partnership in which Galliano re-authors pieces from the retailer's archive into genderless and seasonless collections focused on silhouette and proportion. Coverage described the partnership as growing out of his friendship with Inditex chair Marta Ortega Pérez. The first collection launched in September 2026.
Why it matters
Few designers have shaped both haute couture and the conceptual fashion of Margiela at this level. His work with Zara is a significant test of how high-profile creative talent and the speed and scale of a global fast-fashion retailer can be combined, a question that matters across the industry as luxury and mass-market brands compete for creative credibility.
Frequently asked questions
Who is John Galliano?
John Galliano is a British fashion designer, born in Gibraltar in 1960, who led Givenchy and Christian Dior and was creative director of Maison Margiela from 2014 to 2024. He is known for theatrical, historically inspired couture.
What is John Galliano doing now?
In March 2026 Zara announced a two-year creative partnership with Galliano to reinterpret pieces from its archive. The first collection launched in September 2026.