Bernard Arnault has made it clear in no uncertain terms that LVMH won’t be hiring Galliano back, but if the reaction from critics to the Fall/Winter 2011 Couture collection is any indication, they have a long way to go in finding a replacement who can match Galliano’s creative abilities.

Bill Gaytten is a long time Galliano assistant whose attempt at menswear for the John Galliano label was applauded for being more wearable than Galliano’s more flamboyant designs. Giorgio Armani recently sniped at Prada for their more outrageous menswear designs, and Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani is on record with her opposition to men dressing as “fashionistas,” so less experimental menswear designs that stand out for quality tailoring and fit rather than bold colors, patterns or shapes have their fans.

Unfortunately Gayten’s cutting skills didn’t transfer to the couture collection. If we had to come up with a theme, it would be Celestial Carnival – part futuristic fashion victim, part circus barker. Outer orbit prints and shapes collided with cotton candy colors, and imprecise ruffles and folds in looks that were heavy on folly, but never quite made it to the fantasy that Galliano so often delivered.

“Iâ€ve known Mr. Gaytten for a decade. I met him in the Dior studio with Mr. Galliano and Steven Robinson, a close collaborator of Mr. Gallianoâ€s for many years, who oversaw virtually every detail of the collections… I like Mr. Gaytten. Heâ€s a sweetheart, but he is not a designer.

The collection presented Monday, with modern architectural shapes as the reference (at least that explains the dumb cubes and balls embedded in the models†hair), was a hodgepodge… That immaculate Dior polish was not evident. Some long flowing dresses in hand-painted silk looked contemporary enough, but for the most part the clothes looked like over-bright costumes.” – Cathy Horyn {On the Runway/NY Times}

Susanna Venegas and Bill Gaytten at the end of the Fall 2011 Dior Couture show

In other words, it doesn’t look like Gaytten will be Dior’s Sarah Burton (read: a right hand (wo)man who can effectively expand a creative vision when the visionary unexpectedly leaves).

“Then came Karlie Kloss, dressed as a Pierrot, sad clown all alone in the spotlight as the soundtrack failed and glitter showered down. But the stardust missed her by this much. And that felt like some kind of crazy cosmic metaphor.” – Tim Blanks {Style.com}

According to the Financial Times, Alaia is the only person thus far to confirm that he was offered the job. For those familiar with Alaia’s work, it probably won’t come as much of a surprise that he turned the offer down.

Alaia reportedly described the Galliano debacle as “a sad story,” where he didn’t want to be part of the next chapter.

Aside from that though, there’s the whole difference in approach to the fashion cycle. Dior, like many other major labels, is into the fashion cycle full stop: the standard Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer collections are there, but there’s also resort and couture, and beauty and accessories and probably 10 other things that we aren’t including.

Alaia? Well, many designers talk about wanting to change the fashion cycle and make it make more sense, but Alaia is one of the few designers who actually tries to do something about it. He shows clothes on his own schedule and sends them to retail when he’s ready. Isabel Toledo has worked in this way for a number of years, and Tom Ford’s restrictions are primarily media based though similarly about setting his own schedule. Aside from those three, most established designers are forced to keep up with the modern pace of fashion, which is much more demanding.

Whether that’s good or bad is a matter of perspective, but Alaia is clearly happy with marching to the beat of his own drum, at his own pace.

As for Dior, though Riccardo Tisci is the odds on favorite for the designer to take a bow at the end of the Dior Spring/Summer 2012 show this October, the fact that Dior was seriously considering a name that never made it onto Twitter or blogs means that this really could be any talented designer’s game.

John Galliano has gone from suspended to unemployed after video of the designer making a number of disgusting comments surfaced yesterday.

The New York Times reports that Dior CEO Sidney Toledano, himself Jewish, confirmed that proceedings were moving from suspension to dismissal.

“He condemned ‘‘in the strongest termsâ€â€ Mr. Gallianoâ€s words, ‘‘which are in total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the Christian Dior house.” – NYT

This follows a statement by recent Oscar winner Natalie Portman, who is also the face of Miss Dior Cherie perfume. Though her publicists wouldn’t allow her to comment in a question posed in the press scrum after the Oscars, Portman did speak out saying that she was “deeply shocked and disgusted by the video. As an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way.”

It’s not clear if the actress’ statement had any effect on the decision to move from suspension to firing.

Galliano maintains that he did not use antisemitic language in the incident which sparked the initial complaint, even going so far as to file defamation charges against the couple. Police are still investigating, and though Galliano faces a fine and jail time if he should be convicted, no official court proceedings have been announced.

Both the upcoming Dior and John Galliano fashion shows are scheduled to go ahead on schedule, though it’s highly doubtful that Galliano will fulfill his lawyer’s promise of appearing at the end of the show “as usual.”

Considering the statements of witnesses at Le Perle who stated that Galliano did not make any anti-Semitic comments, we’ve tried to reserve judgment in the event that Galliano’s comments in English were misinterpreted or misheard by the French couple making the accusations.

The Huffington Post is reporting that a second complaint was filed Saturday by a woman who claims that a drunk Galliano made anti-Semitic comments to her in October 2010 at La Perle, the same Parisian bar where the original verbal altercation took place. It’s not clear if the video the Sun obtained is from either the October 2010 incident, or the more recent one.

Galliano is currently suspended from Dior over the initial allegations, and while his lawyer or Dior have yet to confirm or deny the veracity of this video, it certainly doesn’t help Galliano’s case for claiming that the complaint is defamatory. Frankly, it’s beyond disappointing for those who were hoping that the claims of defamatory remarks by the designer were a case of something being lost in translation (that includes us). Short of the person in the video obtained by The Sun being a very convincing John Galliano look-a-like, it’s difficult to find any kind of balancing side to this.

Sure, everyone says stupid things when they’re drunk, but when those stupid things are consistently racist it’s probably a good sign that the person is indeed bigoted. If said person can’t control their alcohol intake to filter their bigoted thoughts, it’s probably not something you want to associate your company with – unless your company is some kind of neo-Nazi organization. While we still support a full investigation into the events of the original incident, we’ve also supported Dior’s action as necessary. With new accusations and videos emerging, the immediate suspension looks more and more like the smartest thing Dior could have done as a company to separate the allegations from the brand as a whole.

Yesterday we reported that John Galliano was suspended from his job at Dior over allegations of antisemitic comments, but also that a witness challenged the veracity of the designer making antisemitic remarks in the first place.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Galliano has filed a defamation lawsuit against the couple making the allegations, and has provided three witness statements that support Galliano’s claim that he did not make any antisemitic remarks.

As we reported yesterday, in France racist comments are not seen as protected speech, but remarks that could be seen as damaging to a person’s reputation are not always protected either. In this situation it seems that both Galliano and the couple who’ve accused him of hurling defamatory insults have a case, though who wins will likely come down to what observers heard.

The witness who spoke to Sleek Magazine says that they heard Galliano refer to the man in the couple as Asian, and insult the woman’s handbag (that we can believe, but let’s not get the poor purse involved), but nothing about religion. If other observers corroborate that account, the couple could find themselves at fault for making allegations that have already done some damage to the designer’s reputation not just in theory, but in reality, as Galliano is suspended until the investigation is concluded.

Galliano’s attorney said that his client would be on the runway for the upcoming Dior Fall/Winter 2011 show, but no matter how brilliant the collection, it’s safe to say clothes won’t be the only thing on observers’ minds at the end of the show.

Dior CEO, Sidney Toledano, issued the following statement:

“Dior affirms with the utmost conviction its policy of zero tolerance towards any anti-Semitic or racist words or behaviour. Pending the results of the inquiry, Christian Dior has suspended John Galliano from his responsibilities.” – Sidney Toledano, CEO of Dior {Vogue UK}

According to a source who spoke with Sleek Mag, Galliano was somewhat inebriated – we’d imagine that’s normal at a bar –  when he tried to strike up a conversation with other patrons at Parisian bar Le Perle by shouting “cheers, everybody!” and raising his glass. This prompted a nearby couple who mistook the designer for a bum to  remark “you’re ugly,” to which the witne says Galliano responded “Youâ€re ugly and youâ€re [sic] fucking bag is ugly too.” Further insults were exchanged, and the couple called the police to press charges.

Here’s where things become unclear: the AFP says that the designer was apprehended, the witness who spoke to Sleek Mag says the designer voluntarily went to the police station to give his side of the story without any grand arrest. As for the most controversial part of the story, the designer’s remarks are also in dispute.The witness says that Galliano called the couple “Asian,” but did not hear any comments about religion or anti-Semitism.

To American readers, the decision and the arrest may seem strange. Unlike the US, where someone like Mel Gibson can be accused of  making racist remarks and face nothing more than conviction in the court of public opinion, France does not recognize racial slurs as free speech, and comments which could be seen as damaging to a person’s reputation are not always protected either.

Alexander McQueen Moves Forward

Goodbye Mr. McQueen, hello Ms. Burton. Long live McQueen.

Style.com covered the passing of Alexander McQueen and the showing of the final collection he designed, but something that was equally important this year was the success of Sarah Burtonâ€s first show as the new designer for the McQueen label. The passing of such a genius creative mind was indeed tragic, and the showing of McQueenâ€s last collection was a special moment, but Burtonâ€s signal that the brand can honor McQueenâ€s legacy while moving forward was absolutely stellar.

John Gallianoâ€s Dior Couture Wows

Dior haute couture was in full bloom this year when John Galliano showed his Spring 2011 collection of flower-inspired looks. The imagery and execution of the designs combined with the high, tulip-like hair of the models for a full package display of gorgeousness and perhaps our favorite moment in fashion of 2010.

The Muses

Isabella Blow

An early supporter of Alexander McQueen, the late fashion muse is profiled in two books which were released on the same day (November 9th), sparking a war of words between the two authors. {Fashionista}

Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion by Lauren Goldstein Crowe

List price: $27.99, $18.47 at Amazon

The Business of Fashion recently published part of the book’s Afterword in a two-part excerpt.

Publisher’s Summary: In 2007, the news of Isabella Blowâ€s suicide at the age of 48 made headlines around the world—but there is more to the story of Isabella than her tragic end.   The key supporter and muse of milliner Philip Treacy and designer Alexander McQueen, Blow was truly more than a muse or patron.  She was a spark, an electrical impulse that set imaginations racing, an individual who pushed others to create their best work.

Her fascination with clothing began early, as did a willingness to wear things—and say things—that would amuse and shock. She began her fashion career in New York City as assistant to Anna Wintour at Vogue.  Over time she became famous for her work, yet it wasnâ€t enough to assuage her devastating feelings of inadequacy. Still, in her darkest moments, even as she began a series of suicide attempts and prolonged hospital stays, Blow retained her wicked sense of humor, making her friends laugh even as they struggled to help.

Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow and Tom Sykes

List price: $30, $19.80 at Amazon

Publisher’s Summary: The pages of this book prove Isabella’s aristocratic ancestry to be as colorful as her manner of dress, her childhood as adventurous as it was at times tragic, and her thirty-year career, which began as Anna Wintour’s assistant at Vogue and took in stints as fashion director of Tatler and fashion editor of the Sunday Times Magazine in London, as truly remarkable. But the real power of Blow by Blow lies in its portrayal of a courageous woman who tried passionately and often to escape a legacy of depression that ultimately proved insurmountable. Despite having been subjected to great disappointment and loss throughout her life, Isabella Blow was a consummate nurturer, determined to cultivate creativity wherever she found it.

Keith Richards

The long time rocker, and recent star of Louis Vuitton’s Core Values ad campaign, Richards’ bio will be available online at the Louis Vuitton website, and in Louis Vuitton stores in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami. Music and fashion have a long love affair, and though Richards is an unlikely muse, the hard living star’s book is full of stories including the sex, drugs and rock and roll that inspire designers.

Life by Keith Richards and James Fox

Available for $29.99 (list price) at LouisVuitton.com and $16.18 at Amazon.

New York Times Review: “By turns earnest and wicked, sweet and sarcastic and unsparing, Mr. Richards, now 66, writes with uncommon candor and immediacy. Heâ€s decided that heâ€s going to tell it as he remembers it, and helped along with notebooks, letters and a diary he once kept, he remembers almost everything. He gives us an indelible, time-capsule feel for the madness that was life on the road with the Stones in the years before and after Altamont; harrowing accounts of his many close shaves and narrow escapes (from the police, prison time, drug hell); and a heap of sharp-edged snapshots of friends and colleagues — most notably, his longtime musical partner and sometime bête noire, Mick Jagger.

The Designers

Anna Sui

Anna Sui by Andrew Bolton with a foreword by Anna Sui, preface by Jack White and introduction by Steven Meisel

List price: $60, $37.80 at Amazon

Publisher’s Summary: Anna Sui’s trendsetting rock-and-roll looks have made her one of this decade’s top five fashion icons (Time). Here, in the first book to cover the entire scope of Sui’s twenty-year career, fans get rare access to the designer’s creative process. This richly visual retrospective celebrates her influence, from her first show that snared the support of supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, and Kate Moss to the role she’s played in making the babydoll dress one of fashion’s most iconic silhouettes. With more than 400 photographs from legendary photographers, this exquisite tome with a shimmering foil-stamped cover is essential for all fashionistas.

Kenzo Takada

Kenzo by Antonio Marras and Olivier Saillard with a foreword by Franceso Bonami and contributions from Bradley Quinn and Catherine Orman

List price: $75, $47.25 at Amazon

Publisher’s Summary: An extraordinary collectible, Kenzo creatively presents forty years of the Paris-based fashion house, founded by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada and now in a resurgence under artistic director Antonio Marras. Established in 1970 by Kenzo Takada, who had arrived in Paris from Japan in 1965, Kenzo is one of the great French houses that transformed global fashion in the latter half of the twentieth century. Now under the artistic directorship of Antonio Marras, KENZO has again achieved critical and popular acclaim. Marras draws from the rich vein of Kenzo tradition as it engages the spirit of the new century. Armed with an unmatched vocabulary in prints and textiles, Marras mines both East and West, the present and the past, to create a collection that evokes, reveres, and reinvents the intentions of its founder. The highlights of Takadaâ€s tenure until his retirement in 1999 are also documented here. The first monograph on KENZO, this lavish volume comes in a real fabric cover, available in three different patterns, and with a pop-up that evokes the romantic textiles, envelopes, and paper craft for which the houseâ€s fashion collection invitations are known.  Additional special features include three double-sided double gatefolds, folding out to the equivalent of eight pages, and three accordian gatefolds, folding out to five pages.  This book is truly an art object in and of itself.

Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson by Colin McDowell with a foreword by Sienna Miller

List price: $65, $40.95 at Amazon

Publisher’s Summary: A unique insight into one of the most exciting fashion designers working today, revealing the imagination fueling his exuberant creations. Celebrated for his deluxe bohemian chic, Matthew Williamsonâ€s vivacious, color-drenched creations bedecked with exquisite embroidery and beading have made him a favorite with the fashion pack. This stunning volume explores Williamsonâ€s career, from his acclaimed first collection in 1997 to his current status as a multimillion-dollar brand with stores in London and New York and an international celebrity clientele. Lavishly illustrated, this monograph celebrates Williamsonâ€s trademark use of vibrant color and pattern. Editorial images highlighting his collections and iconic pieces, sumptuous photography of his textile designs, and celebrity fashion shoots are shown alongside mood boards, sketches, and scrapbooks revealing his influences and inspirations.

Too young for Couture?

Bloggers and editors saw elements of inspiration from Twilight in the most recent collection – which was fittingly opened by the new face of the brand, Freja Beha Erichsen – but no agreement on whether that is a good or bad thing seems to have surfaced. WWD felt the clothes were beautiful but too youthful for a couture line and the Telegraph thought the collection was more confident and signature to the new designers, while Style.com admits the pitch to a younger audience was peculiar but perhaps genius. {The Cut}

Or too Boring?

Style.com may have hit the nail on the head, as luxury fashion labels have attempted to keep their footing of late by reaching out to Generation Y. The looks may also come to symbolize a new era for Valentino.

The youthful slant to the collection is smart, but there are too many dropped waistlines and bows for our taste and the clothes are a bit bland, a kiss of death for haute couture, which we look to for the kind of over the top fantasy that would be out of place in ready to wear collections. The blah-ness of it is ironic considering the collection departs from their more typical Valentino lines, which critics found boring as well. Nothing is terribly wrong with the collection – the sheer hoop dress looks like a toned down take on Lady Gaga’s Grammy dress, but it looks like Chiuri and Piccioli are light years away from wowing like John Gallianoâ€s flower-inspired masterpiece for Dior did earlier in the week.