The line, which is carried currently at edgy retailers FortyFiveTen in Dallas and Sloan/Hall in Houston, has just now started to gain traction locally. Boutique co-owner at Sloan/Hall, Shannon Hall picked it up this season and says that even leading up to Galliano’s official debut, it has already garnered a significant following among his clientele. “I think a lot of clients love the history
“For me the show illustrated just how talented Galliano is. He was able to blend the house’s history of elegant sobriety with his own signatures of opulence and beautiful decay.”
-Shannon Hall of Sloan/Hall
If nothing else, Galliano‘s new boss, Renzo Rosso has given the fashion world much to chatter about and is praised for making a gutsy hire at a time when the brand had just begun to really pick up steam at retail. But for his part, Rosso is seemingly unfazed and continues to chart the house’s path by doubling down with an historically flamboyant, nonconformist at the creative helm. His own words to WWD in September confirmed as much: “No one has the authority to judge anyone whatsoever. We all make mistakes, and it’s part of our journey. The important thing is to know your mistakes and to learn to correct them, and I guarantee you that John Galliano has done that.”
And if response from yesterday’s presentation was any indication of how the designer will fare at the creative helm of the new, not-so-niche brand, it would seem there are big things in store for Maison Martin Margiela. Says Hall, “I think we’ll see him continue to explore the clash of perfect and perfectly imperfect. High and low walking hand in hand. And [with Galliano] there will absolutely be a good dose of high theater.”
Amen to that.