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FEBRUARY 25, 2011, 11:12 AM
<span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Dior’s John Galliano Suspended for Alleged Comments</span></span>
By CATHY HORYN
Christian Dior said this afternoon that it had suspended the designer John Galliano pending an investigation into <span style="font-weight: bold">anti-Semitic remarks</span> he allegedly made on Thursday night in Paris.
According to French news agencies, quoting police sources, Mr. Galliano made the comment to a man and his female companion during an argument at a cafe in the Marais. Mr. Galliano lives in the area. The reports said that Mr. Galliano had been drinking alcohol, and that he was briefly detained by the police.
In a statement, Sidney Toledano, the chief executive of the fashion house, said: “Christian Dior has an unequivocal zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-Semitism and racism.”
Dior’s fall ready-to-wear show is scheduled for next Friday.
The report was the main topic of conversation in the front row at the Milan shows. But there are mixed accounts of what may have happened on Thursday night. According to the site sleek-mag.com, which quotes an anonymous witness, Mr. Galliano was sitting at the terrace cafe La Perle around 10 p.m., having a drink, when he tried to chat with the couple, who were seated nearby. The man, perhaps not recognizing the famous designer, rebuffed him and said, “You’re ugly, you’re disgusting, move away from here.” The witness said that <span style="font-weight: bold">Mr. Galliano replied, to the woman, “You’re ugly, and your bag is ugly, too.”</span>
The conversation, such as it was, quickly escalated, the Web site said, as more insults were exchanged, and the police were called. <span style="font-weight: bold">The witness said Mr. Galliano referred to the man as Asian.</span>
In a statement issued to the International Herald Tribune, Mr. Galliano’s lawyer, Stéphane Zerbib, contested media reports about the incident. “There was never the slightest comment of a racist or anti-Semitic connotation,” said Mr. Zerbib, reached by telephone.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">Copyright 2011 The New York Times CompanyPrivacy PolicyNYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018</span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'">Dior’s John Galliano Suspended for Alleged Comments</span></span>
By CATHY HORYN
Christian Dior said this afternoon that it had suspended the designer John Galliano pending an investigation into <span style="font-weight: bold">anti-Semitic remarks</span> he allegedly made on Thursday night in Paris.
According to French news agencies, quoting police sources, Mr. Galliano made the comment to a man and his female companion during an argument at a cafe in the Marais. Mr. Galliano lives in the area. The reports said that Mr. Galliano had been drinking alcohol, and that he was briefly detained by the police.
In a statement, Sidney Toledano, the chief executive of the fashion house, said: “Christian Dior has an unequivocal zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-Semitism and racism.”
Dior’s fall ready-to-wear show is scheduled for next Friday.
The report was the main topic of conversation in the front row at the Milan shows. But there are mixed accounts of what may have happened on Thursday night. According to the site sleek-mag.com, which quotes an anonymous witness, Mr. Galliano was sitting at the terrace cafe La Perle around 10 p.m., having a drink, when he tried to chat with the couple, who were seated nearby. The man, perhaps not recognizing the famous designer, rebuffed him and said, “You’re ugly, you’re disgusting, move away from here.” The witness said that <span style="font-weight: bold">Mr. Galliano replied, to the woman, “You’re ugly, and your bag is ugly, too.”</span>
The conversation, such as it was, quickly escalated, the Web site said, as more insults were exchanged, and the police were called. <span style="font-weight: bold">The witness said Mr. Galliano referred to the man as Asian.</span>
In a statement issued to the International Herald Tribune, Mr. Galliano’s lawyer, Stéphane Zerbib, contested media reports about the incident. “There was never the slightest comment of a racist or anti-Semitic connotation,” said Mr. Zerbib, reached by telephone.
<span style="font-size: 8pt">Copyright 2011 The New York Times CompanyPrivacy PolicyNYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018</span>
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