Parlez-moi de l’antisémitisme: John Galliano’s perfume pulled from Canadian shelves
Canadian model Jessica Stam is offering support to former Dior designer John Galliano, but Canadian department stores, not so much. Late last week, The Bay announced that it was pulling Galliano’s fragrance, Parlez-moi d’Amour, from its shelves, and now Holt Renfrew reports that “the fragrance has minimal presence on the floors and there are no plans to market … going forward.”
The Canadian retailers are late to the party, considering the instant backlash to a video capturing Galliano’s now infamous anti-Semitic tirade, but we’re just glad action is being taken. It beats the recent run of industry defenders and social media campaigning that proves to have little effect when retailers can’t commit.
Just last month, Parlez-moi d’Amour was positioned as an ideal Valentine’s Day gift—a sweet-smelling perfume from a renowned designer with a romantic streak. Today, Galliano’s product doesn’t speak to anybody of love. It stinks of hate.
• John Galliano’s perfume removed from some shelves [Globe and Mail]
Honestly, this is just getting a little out of hand. I’m sick of hearing people making racial slurs about other cultures and so when it comes to Galliano’s ‘caught on video’ slur, everyone goes crazy and blows it out of proportion. He’s done so many wonderful things for Dior – this is outrageous and people need to relax and get over it.
I, in no way condone Mr Galliano’s behaviour, but the rush to judgment,dismissal,vilification and complete and utter destruction of a man’s name, career and international brand without understanding the context of the 12 second video in question is wrong and heavy handed.
Galliano’s intoxication was evident, along with his stupid, disgusting statements, but equally evident was the harassment from those videoing him, which has been reported began with allegedly homophobic slurs used against him by those holding the camera.
In a World where Worship is placed so quickly on Pseudo celebrity Starlets with chemical dependencies and sitcom stars who rant, rage and pontificate on terrestrial plains with their porn star Goddesses, to destroy someone so intensely talented, who has given so much beauty, light and spectacle to the global world of Fashion without a proper hearing of all the facts and circumstances, is acting like judge,jury and executioner in one fatal blow. While racism in never fashionable, neither is turning your back on someone obviously struggling with demons of their own.
“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone” John 8:1-11,
Joe D, this was the second case recently, just the first one captured on tape. Dior fired him and France has a law against it because racism is not just unfashionable, it is unconscionable. That is why we should not “get over it” as Candice suggests but instead call it out every single time. I do somewhat agree that John 8:1 applies, as Galliano deserves our pity for his obvious alcoholism.
I agree wholeheartedly that racism isn’t fashionable but to pretend it isn’t alive and well in fashion is untrue. How many Black models and actresses are getting the covers, the cosmetic endorsements, the huge fashion campaigns?- Naomi, Alec,Yasmine, Chanel get a taste but nothing compared to Daria or Giselle- how many recent Canadian covers of Fashion, Flare and Elle are anything but a Caucasian Hollywood starlet pimping her latest project?How many recent Bay ads for The Room, Look Books and billboards along with Holts campaigns are featuring any other ethnic makeups besides white?
I think what Galliano did was horrible and shameful and disgusting but for people in the world of fashion to pretend with a holier then tho attitude it is something not tolerated, accepted or allowed is untrue. It is like raging against eating disorders while allowing gorgeous prepubescent girls who live on a diet of self hate and anger to appear on runways and magazines the world over.
Count the BMI index and variety of skin colors on the models at TO fashion week during the shows this coming month and see for yourself on how fashion’s dirty little secret is an industry standard.
Relax and get over it? If your ancestors had been mass murdered in gas ovens, torn apart by hungry bears to the sound of a band playing polkas, and turned into lampshades by sadistic Frauleins like mine had, you wouldn’t be telling people to “relax and get over it.”
What Galliano did was unforgivable. No consequence is too severe for his crime. I wish the crime of anti-Semitism carried the death penalty.
To all of you defending him because you liked his work: would you defend Hitler on the grounds that he created the Volkswagen Beetle? No? Then stop defending this horrible monster John Galliano.
To Howard Ginsburg
I think you are way over the top dude! Chill out! John was obviously drunk senseless, so who cares what a drunk said! Get over it! And on the second thought…you would make a pretty depressing lamp!
If I communticaed I could thank you enough for this, I’d be lying.