Longed for, eagerly awaited, the talk of the town. John Galliano’s comeback has become a reality—but not with a major luxury fashion house, but with Zara. And tonight we got our first glimpse, just a few hours before tomorrow’s official debut. The king of couture is back, and in the first images from the campaign released by the Spanish brand—shot by Steven Meisel and worthy of the finest fashion editorial—his signature style is immediately recognizable: theatricality, a flair for transformation, and his unmistakable aesthetic that has spanned decades of fashion and continues to this day to exert a charm that is impossible to replicate.
This is a particularly busy time for Galliano, and following the announcement that he was stepping back from the Met exhibition dedicated to his work—which was also set to serve as the theme for the Met Gala—a question that has long surrounded him has inevitably resurfaced: To what extent can the controversies surrounding his past actions coexist with recognition of his creative contribution? At the same time, his absence from the runways and the Met seems to have fueled a certain craving for the work of what remains one of the most influential designers of his generation. Or, at the very least, one of those who have left a mark on fashion that is difficult to erase.
Now that symbol is back in a different form, and even before seeing the collection in its entirety, it’s already sparking debate. Behind these powerful images, what will we really find? How much of Galliano’s world and savoir-faire will be reflected in Zara’s materials and production? And at what prices? These questions will remain unanswered for just a few more hours. Because amid the enthusiasm, curiosity, and inevitable doubts, John Galliano has once again managed to get people talking about him.
[📸 Instagram: zara / © Steven Meisel]
