John Galliano on Martin Margiela, dressing Zendaya and Kim Kardashian and his love of the process

‘I had the blessing of Martin Margiela – and psychologically I felt I was doing the right thing for the house.’

This year marks a decade of John Galliano helming the house of Maison Margiela.

It’s also a year where Galliano has enjoyed unprecedented highs, beginning with an Artisanal show in Paris in January that marked a return to his signature theatricality and prompted a tidal wave of think pieces and social media adulation.

The impact of the show has reverberated throughout the year, followed by the release of Kevin MacDonald’s documentary “High & Low: John Galliano” and then high profile red carpet collaborations with Kim Kardashian and Zendaya for the Met Gala.

Galliano seems more at ease than he’s ever been creatively and personally, and it is at this point where he sat down with Anders Christian Madsen, journalist and collaborator of Maison Margiela, to speak at length about his creative process.

Together, they delve into the impact of that groundbreaking show, why Galliano feels free to lean into his personal and design legacy and how at Margiela, Galliano has managed to make time to foster the act of creation.

In conversation: John Galliano and Anders Christian Madsen
00:53 - 05:34 John Galliano and Anders Madsen discussing the reception of the Maison Margiela Spring 2024 Artisanal Show, especially on Gen Z and TikTok, and his multimedia approach of recent years
05:35 - 09:27 Galliano on spending time with Martin Margiela, and how he makes the house his own, and the psychology of steering the Margiela house
09:28 - 12:58 Galliano being inspired by younger generations and revisiting his signature techniques like the bias cut on different fabrics
12:58 - 14:41 Galliano’s experience on filming his documentary
14:47 - 17:12 Dressing Kim Kardashian for the Met Gala 2024
17:13 - 21:02 Working with Zendaya, and her two different Met Gala looks, creating a role for her to play
21:03 - 23:30 Galliano revealing the process behind the Artisanal couture show, fitting bias cut on preordained shapes, and creating aquarelle effects and retrograding dresses
23:58 - 27:55 Showcasing Galliano’s research into porcelain dolls, Brassai, the process of the menswear pieces and his couture techniques at the Margiela Open House in their HQ in Paris
28:00 - 32:41 How Galliano manages to keep his level of creative integrity, how important time is to the process of creating, and the level of detail couture takes
32:41 - 34:04 Corset training Leon Dame, Galliano’s love for shopping
34:05 - 37:34 Where Galliano finds his inspiration from, his muses, the importance of music and scent to him
37:37 - 42:02 How it feels to wear present day Margiela in the words of Galliano, and how he prioritises designs with soul above everything.

Publishing Director Mike Obenson
Interview by Anders Christian Madsen
Director Fiona Hartley
Produced by Deux Deux Deux, Louis Ghodsi
DOPs Lou Respinger, Ambre Fraisse, Jeremie Levy
Sound Marvin Houziaux, Raphaël Revault
Assistant editor Cheuk Ng
Editorial Board Jonathan Wingfield, Elizabeth Von Guttman, Thomas Lenthal
Digital Editorial Director Susie Lau
Digital Graphic Designer Moritz Tibes
Original music composition by Frederic Sanchez