John Galliano exits Maison Margiela. Where will he go next?

John Galliano is officially leaving Maison Margiela after 10 years at the French fashion house.

Less than one year after his standout spring 2024 couture show, where runway models were transformed into porcelain dolls, the 64-year-old British designer announced his exit from Margiela this morning on Wednesday, December 11.

“Today is the day I say goodbye to Maison Margiela,” he wrote in a lengthy letter posted to Instagram. “My heart overflows with joyous gratitude, and my soul smiles.

“To my atelier, my ‘A’ team — devout in belief and dedicated to style and technique — thank you. We relish in the importance of slow and ethical fashion and the influence it has on all our collections, the pyramidical way of working... Together, we are driven by beauty — the quest for balance, construction, and the lightness of a feather. Thank you.”

Galliano joined Margiela as creative director four years after his predecessor, founder Martin Margiela, left the brand in 2010. Not long after Martin’s departure, Galliano was approached by Renzo Rosso — the president of OTB Group, Maison Margiela’s parent company — with the opportunity to lead the fashion house.

The designer’s early success was due in large part to Anna Wintour at Vogue magazine. The editor-in-chief helped Galliano financially when he was starting out under his own name — ensuring the wider fashion world recognized his brilliance even when he could only afford to use black fabric. Because of Wintour’s help putting him on the map, Galliano’s unmatched mind was tapped to helm Givenchy in 1995.

However, when asked by Rosso to serve as creative director for Margiela, Galliano was in the midst of his recovery from a years-long alcohol and drug addiction. Back in 2011, his substance abuse issues had ultimately led to his firing from Dior and from his own label, after a video of the designer drunkly yelling antisemitic and racist remarks outside a bar had surfaced online.

It wasn’t until 2013 that Galliano finally spoke out in what was deemed his first-ever sober interview. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Galliano apologized for his offensive comments. “It’s the worst thing I have said in my life, but I didn’t mean it,” he told the outlet. “I have been trying to find out why that anger was directed at this race. I now realize I was so f***ing angry and so discontent with myself that I just said the most spiteful thing I could.”

One year later, and three years into his sobriety journey, Galliano accepted the position at Margiela, which he called a “life-saving creative moment.”

Now, Galliano’s sudden departure from Margiela has fashion lovers everywhere wondering what’s next. Will Galliano revive the eponymous label he established in 1984, or will he serve as outgoing creative director Virginie Viard’s successor at Chanel?

For months, speculation has spread throughout the fashion industry about who will be given the coveted role of creative director at Chanel after Viard’s departure in June. While many names have been thrown into the pool, Galliano’s among them, no official announcement has been made.

However, recent reports have indicated that Matthieu Blazy, the 40-year-old creative director at Bottega Veneta, is Chanel’s frontrunner. According to Women’s Wear Daily, Blazy has “emerged as a new contender” for the role with an official announcement to come in mid-December.

Blazy — who is responsible for reimagining the luxury Italian house with leather fringe and oversized accessories — has yet to respond to the recent reports, though other sources told WWD that Bottega has been looking for his replacement.

Does this mean that Galliano will be taking over Bottega? While only time will tell, that legendary designer isn’t ready to reveal his next move just yet.

“Everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to dream,” Galliano wrote in his announcement. “When the time is right, all will be revealed.”