Dior fires designer John Galliano in wake of “I love Hitler” video (VIDEO)
British designer John Galliano arrives at the police station for a face to face meeting with witnesses on Feb. 28, 2011 in Paris. Top fashion designer John Galliano, already suspended from Dior for alleged anti-Semitic insults, faced fresh trouble Monday after a video emerged of him saying he loved Adolf Hitler.
Fashion house Dior fired John Galliano after a 2010 video in which he said "I love Hitler" went public Monday and the face of Dior fragrance Cherie, Oscar winner Natalie Portman, declared herself "shocked and disgusted."
The video, posted on the website of the British newspaper The Sun, is the latest blow to the flamboyant Galliano, 50, who was briefly detained last week for an alleged anti-Semitic rant, leading another woman to accuse him of a similar incident last year.
"In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish," the "Black Swan" star said in a statement Tuesday, "I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way."
In the video, posted on the Sun website, Galliano slurred to patrons at the hip Paris bar La Perle: "People like you would be dead… Your mothers, your forefathers, would all be … gassed and … dead," he says, telling those who made the video — who were French and Italian, not Jewish, according to the Sun — that he had a problem with them because they were ugly.
Galliano’s racist outburst included comments like “I love Hitler.”
The British designer had been suspended by the company after he was questioned and released by police Thursday for allegedly making anti-Semitic and anti-Asian statements to a woman and man in La Perle and threatening to kill the man, the LA Times reported. Prosecutors and police said Friday that Galliano's blood alcohol levels were high.
Galliano has worked for the fashion house since 1996.
The firing Tuesday comes only days ahead of Friday's Dior show during Paris Fashion Week. Dior hasn’t said it will cancel its March 5 runway show or Galliano’s personal presentation on March 6.
Dior President and CEO Sidney Toledano, told the press in a statement released on Tuesday: “I condemn most firmly the statements made by John Galliano which are a total contradiction with the essential values that have always been defended by the House of Christian Dior.”
While Portman opted against a Dior by John Galliano dress to the Oscars on Sunday night and instead wore a Rodarte gown. But fellow Best Actress nominee Nicole Kidman sported a Christian Dior spring gown to the ceremony.