Spanish fashion retailer Zara said Tuesday it has entered into a two-year “artistic partnership” with controversial British designer John Galliano.
The 65-year-old couturier will reconfigure pieces drawn from Zara’s past collections into new designs, the company said in a statement.
“Guided by a haute couture process and approach, the collections will be unveiled each season throughout the duration of the partnership, starting in September 2026,” it added without giving further details.
Zara is owned by Inditex, the world’s leading low-cost fashion retailer which posted a record annual profit in 2025 for the third year running.
“To deliver fashion through that enormous platform — that, of course, that’s thrilling. And to be able to work with the kind of resources they have as well, that’s equally thrilling,” Galliano told fashion magazine Vogue.
Galliano, who previously headed artistry at Givenchy and Christian Dior, has dressed countless celebrities during his tenure, including Kim Kardashian, Kary Perry and Zendaya for red-carpet events.
Known for his flamboyant personality and daring designs, Galliano’s career suffered a dramatic setback in 2011 following a drunken rant in a Paris bar where he hurled antisemitic and racist insults at the other patrons.
He was subsequently dismissed from Dior, underwent rehab in Switzerland and apologised for his behaviour during a visit to the Central Synagogue in London.
Gibraltar-born Galliano returned to the fashion world in 2014 when he joined French label Maison Margiela as its creative director, a position he held until 2024.
With fast-growing budget fashion retailer Shein taking share at the cheaper end of the market, Zara has moved to attract more discerning shoppers and offered more expensive clothing in recent years.
Agence France-Presse
