John Galliano has become a designer for Zara.

Designer John Galliano will develop seasonal collections for the mass-market brand Zara, reports Bof.

According to Zara, John Galliano will design seasonal collections beginning in September 2026. At the company, Galliano will be responsible for "reimagining" pieces from the brand's archives. A two-year contract has already been signed with the designer.

A year after leaving Maison Margiela, controversial designer John Galliano is returning to work in an unusual role. Previously, the 65-year-old Galliano worked exclusively with haute couture houses: he was creative director of Givenchy, Christian Dior, and Maison Margiela.

For Zara, John Galliano's appointment is an opportunity to improve its position amid competition from other mass-market brands. Due to the rise of giants like Shein and Temu, which sell cheap clothing from China, younger customers are no longer choosing Zara, leading to declining profits for Inditex, which owns Zara. To survive in this market, the company plans to transform Zara into a mid-price brand with higher-quality products and avoid repeating fleeting trends in its collections.

As a reminder, designer John Galliano was fired from the Christian Dior brand in 2011 for making anti-Semitic remarks. At the time, the designer, while heavily intoxicated, shouted insults at a Parisian bar. For this outburst, a French court fined Galliano €6,000 and placed him on probation.

Following his controversial dismissal, Galliano was unemployed for four years. During this period, the designer collaborated with various brands, from Oscar de la Renta to L'Etoile. In 2015, Galliano received an offer to head Maison Margiela, where he remained for 10 years.

Фото: Dimitrios Kambouris/Staff