It's Official: Christian Dior Will Dismiss John Galliano [UPDATED]

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

In a statement this morning, Christian Dior CEO Sidney Toledano says the French fashion house has "launched a dismissal procedure" against creative director John Galliano, reports the Wall Street Journal.

"I condemn with the greatest firmness the comments made by John Galliano," Toledano said, "in total contradiction with the essential values which have always been defended by Christian Dior."

The move to dismiss comes after a video surfaced yesterday showing an inebriated Galliano declaring, "I love Hitler." In a statement, the company says it launched its proceedings due to the "odious behavior and comments" Galliano made in that video.

The full statement from Dior HQ, as reprinted in Drapers:

Paris – March 1, 2011

Following the allegations of anti-Semitic statements that resulted in John Galliano being questioned by police on Thursday, February 24, Christian Dior immediately suspended its relationship with its designer, pending the outcome of the police investigation.

Today, in light of the deeply offensive statements and conduct by John Galliano in a video made public yesterday, Christian Dior has commenced termination proceedings against him.

Sidney Toledano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Christian Dior Couture, said: “I unequivocally condemn the statements made by John Galliano which are in total contradiction to the longstanding core values of Christian Dior”.

[Ed Note: It is our understanding that the statements were translated from French, which accounts for the discrepancy in wording.]

· Dior moves to dismiss Galliano [WSJ]
· Christian Dior sacks John Galliano [Drapers]
· All John Galliano coverage [Racked]