FRANCE – John Galliano, the British fashion designer has been given suspended fines totaling 6,000 euros ($8,400).
Galliano, who was convicted of “casting public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity” was not present to hear his sentence at the Palais de Justice in Paris.
The BBC reported that the designer, fired by the Dior fashion house over the affair, said he had no recollection of the two events and denied being racist.
He blamed drug and alcohol addictions for his outburst.
The charges stemmed from incidents in a Paris bar last February and October. Geraldine Bloch, 35, said the designer began insulting her in a 45-minute rant telling her she had a “dirty Jewish face.”
Philippe Virgitti, 41, Bloch’s partner said that Galliano called him a “dirty Asian s***” and an “illegal immigrant”.
Later a video also emerged of Galliano apparently telling two women that their grandparents should have been “gassed” and proclaiming that he loved Hitler.
A lawyer for Galliano said after the ruling, “Mr. Galliano is relieved. Relieved that these eight months are behind him. He is looking forward to a future with understanding and forgiveness, hopefully, and to put all of this behind him.”
Galliano was head designer of French haute couture houses Givenchy from July 1995 to October 1996 and Christian Dior from October 1996 until his dismissal in March 2011.
