Zara, Galliano, and luxury, which no longer knows what it is.
One of the latest bombshells in fashion This has been the announcement of Zara's new collaborationThe global fast-fashion giant has brought on board designer John Galliano, one of the most singular figures in contemporary design, for a two-year period. It's a partnership that was difficult to foresee, but one that is profoundly revealing of the current moment we are living in as a society.
From the outset, the collaboration stages the encounter between two seemingly antithetical poles. Galliano embodies a concept of creation based on virtuosity, narrative density, and boundless imagination. His work constructs universes, not just pieces, so it's surprising to imagine how this creative excess can be adapted to the logic of fast fashion. The tension is no less significant considering that, historically, one of Galliano's challenges has been precisely translating his visual language into more commercial formats. It is in this mismatch—between excess and standardization—that this collaboration becomes especially meaningful.
Galliano will present two annual collections conceived from Zara's archive pieces and reinterpreted through his creative lens. But what exactly constitutes Zara's archive? In the fashion world, an archive refers to pieces that embody a brand's identity and have left a recognizable mark over time. However, this logic clashes with the essence of fast fashion, which is based on the rapid appropriation of other designers' work and a temporality defined by immediate consumption and planned obsolescence. In this context, the possibility of a piece becoming iconic is virtually nonexistent.
Therefore, Zara's use of the term "archive"—traditionally associated with major luxury brands—is not an innocent gesture, but an attempt to reconfigure its symbolic position. At a time when theultra-fast fashion As China has eroded its position as a benchmark for affordable fashion, and as the luxury system itself undergoes a crisis of meaning, Zara seems to be shifting into new territory: that of accessible yet aspirational luxury. It is thus targeting consumers who seek, through consumption, to symbolically attain a social position they do not currently hold. The appointment of Galliano—who led Haute Couture and Dior to one of their highest points—reinforces this strategy. But, in all of this, what does he gain?
A paradigmatic case of cancellation
The Gibraltarian designer has been one of the most paradigmatic cases of cancellation, after being fired from Dior following pro-Nazi public statements that led to four years of ostracism. Part of the current resistance to his joining Zara is still based on that episode. And yet, without questioning its seriousness or the legitimacy of the initial measures, it must be taken into account that Galliano has acknowledged his mistake, explained the psychologically critical moment he was experiencing, and issued a public apology. After a long period out of the spotlight, he returned gradually and with a low profile as creative director of Margiela, avoiding any triumphalist gestures. This phase culminated in 2024 with a final collection that reaffirmed him as one of the most solid talents of the moment.
However, the suspicion persists, and Galliano seems fixated on that episode. This forces us to consider what we, as a society, require for someone to be truly reintegrated. While it is essential to be relentless in the face of serious violations, it is equally important to know when to end punishment. Not all cases are comparable, and some—like sexual offenses—do not allow for restitution. But in others, when there is acknowledgment, responsibility, and remorse, there should be a real possibility of reintegration.
Perhaps, ultimately, this collaboration isn't just about fashion or talent. It's about how we distribute value and punishment within the same symbolic economy. About a system that transforms everything—brands, luxury, hierarchies—but that, at the same time, is incapable of altering certain narratives. And it's in this contradiction, more than in the clothes themselves, that the world we inhabit is revealed.
