ZARA and John Galliano collaboration to launch in October
ZARA's first seasonal collection in creative partnership with John Galliano, called "Re(form)", is set to launch on 1 October, with the designer reinterpreting pieces from the Spanish brand's archive.
The ZARA tie-up is the first time in Galliano's career that he has turned his hand to mass-market fashion, though ZARA has worked with designers in the past, including Stefano Pilati, Anna Sui, Narciso Rodriguez and Samuel Ross.
The new collection, Vol. 1, is said to have been "authored by Couturier John Galliano, built from our memory, made for now".
Galliano, who left Maison Margiela in 2024, will re-author pieces from the ZARA archives during a contract that will last initially for two years.
A statement from ZARA said: "Mr. Galliano will be working directly with garments from Zara’s past seasons, deconstructing and reconfiguring them into new seasonal expressions and creations."
No further details have been shared on what the collection will encompass.
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The collection's release comes a month after Galliano decided to withdraw from an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) that was to be dedicated to him and his fashion design legacy. The exhibition was meant to be dedicated to Galliano's career and would explore "the extraordinary creative achievements" of the British designer, as well as his behaviour and comments, which ultimately altered his career and reputation in 2011.
That year, Galliano was convicted in France of an offence related to anti-Semitic comments, which were captured on video and made public. At the time, he said that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Criticism of the Met's choice to honour Galliano followed soon after, and on 31 August, Galliano shared a statement on Instagram saying that "after much reflection and discussions with the Met and all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to go ahead at this time."
Following the 2011 incidents, Galliano spent several years outside of the industry and sought help for his addictions. He was brought back to fashion by Maison Margiela in 2014, where he remained as creative director for 10 years. His final collection for the house was considered to be groundbreaking and evidence that his great talent had not faded.
A Central Saint Martins graduate, Galliano made his name first at Givenchy and then at Christian Dior, where he was creative director for 15 years, producing some of the most elaborate and intricate collections in modern fashion history.
