John Galliano Trial Set for June 22
John Galliano will have his day in court. The troubled designer will stand trial June 22 in Paris on anti-Semitic abuse charges, it was announced on May 12 during a hearing at the Palais de Justice.
Galliano will be represented by lawyer Aurélien Hamelle of Metzner Associés, reports Women’s Wear Daily, and Geraldine Bloch, Philippe Virgitti, and Fathia Oumeddour were all named as plaintiffs.
The embattled couturier—who was dropped from Dior and his eponymous label following a February incident in which he reportedly verbally attacked Virgitti and Bloch at a Paris café—faces up to six months in prison and a fine of 22,500 euros ($32,608 U.S.) if convicted.
Meanwhile, Galliano is suing his former lawyer Stephane Zerbib for embezzlement, claiming that he stole $4.1 million, and Zerbib is countersuing Galliano for defamation.
“Sadly we are part of a litigious society,” a spokesperson for Galliano told Vogue U.K. “These latest developments are all a huge blow to Mr. Galliano; to discover a trusted ‘friend’ has been abusing his position over a number of years is such a disappointment—but Mr. Galliano needs to continue to focus on his rehab and recovery and his team cannot be distracted by Mr. Zerbib’s noise when there is legal defense to prepare.”
Stay tuned.
