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Designer John Galliano – former Creative Director of Dior – has announced that he will be ditching fur from his designs, as well as going veggie.
He made the comments in a joint interview in Elle France with animal rights charity PETA VP Dan Mathews. The interview took place last month at Galliano’s Paris studio, where he designs for Maison Margiela.
According to Galliano – a longtime PETA target – a chance meeting with Mathews prompted him to ditch the products. The two have since become friends, meeting in Paris to examine the latest fabrics replacing animal skins, such as cork.
PETA
Galliano said: “I was swimming in the sea with Penélope Cruz in Saint-Tropez. And just then, Dan’s face popped out of the water.
“It was like in Jaws – very frightening! I knew PETA’s work, I respected them, but their reputation preceded them.
“You can be outrageous and fun without fur! Come and party with us, you’ll see!”
PETA has long campaigned against fur
Change
Galliano, who has come under fire in recent years for making offensive comments around race and religion – which he puts down to alcoholism – claimed Gipsy (his dog) also inspired him to think differently about life.
He said: “He is part of the therapy that I started in Arizona. The idea is to take care of someone else, to get out of my egocentrism.
“My life is more balanced. I really became a vegetarian in order to get in better shape. I play sports, I take care of myself and I’ve never been more clear-eyed.
“The energy that I get from having fewer toxins in my body is extraordinary. The pressure in the fashion industry is the same, but now I know how to step away and meditate, and my life has gone from black to white!”
Fashion evolving
Galliano is the fifth major designer to have made the decision to drop fur recently, following Gucci, Versace, Donna Karan, and Michael Kors, who announced his decision immediately after a meeting with Mathews in December.
Mathews said: “The fashion world is finally evolving.
“More and more designers are showing that you can be even more creative without being destructive to animals.”
