Christian Dior fires Galliano over alleged anti-Semitic rant - The Irish Times - Wed, Mar 02, 2011: "THE SACKING of star designer John Galliano (50) by Christian Dior yesterday following the furore over a drunken rant in a Paris bar in which he allegedly made racist and anti-Semitic remarks, has shocked the fashion world. It has also left vacant one of the industry’s most powerful and high-profile positions.

The British designer has been creative director of Dior for 15 years and is credited with energising the image and worldwide sales of the company, now worth $10 billion. He was due to present his autumn/winter collection for the fashion house on Friday, which may still go ahead without him. His own label collection, which is also backed by luxury empire Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, on Sunday, however, is in doubt.

Though Galliano is contesting the allegations, the release of a video taken in the same bar in the Marais in which he is filmed saying in a slurred voice, “I love Adolf Hitler”, provoked further damage."