6 of Fashion's Greatest Comebacks

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Just last week, Oscar de la Renta announced that he would open his studio to disgraced designer John Galliano, who, you may remember, lost his post at Dior after a now-infamous drunken, pro-Hitler rant two years ago.

So, is this the beginning of a comeback for the designer? Though it remains to be seen whether the fashion industry/world/Natalie Portman will ever forgive him, we've taken a look back at some other falls from grace in fashion history, and it turns out comebacks are almost as popular as makeovers in the fashion world. Here's a look at six of the best fashion comebacks on record.

The House of Chanel
Coco Chanel's eponymous label enjoyed quite a lot of popularity in the 1920s. Her designs were intended to liberate women by trading corsets for freeing silhouettes and comfortable jersey fabric, but a lack of materials and market virtually shut the brand down at the start of World War II. In the mid-50s, Chanel was poised to make a comeback. Her 1954 collection marked a return to fashion for the designer, who was then in her 70s. Her designs once again catapulted to the forefront of fashion and were worn by stylish A(udrey)-listers of the day.

Kristen McMenamy
Kristen McMenamy was absolutely everywhere in the '90s, gracing almost every major runway, and posing as the face of iconic labels like Prada and Atelier Versace. The model's career seemed to slow in the latter part of the '90s and early aughts, but picked up mid-decade with her return to the catwalk. Now, the 46-year-old McMennammy is enjoying the fruits of a career going full force, pocketing coins for campaigns and editorials from the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Louis Vuitton, Vogue, NARS, H&M, and more—rocking a mean set of (naturally) grey locks all the while.

Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger was famous for its WASPy, country-club aesthetic, but the collection had a rebirth (or rather, rebranding) of sorts when the label became the go-to brand in urban sportswear during the '90s. Hilfiger's influence on street fashion was solidified as his wares were rocked by hip-hop heavyweights like Snoop Dogg and the R&B icon Aaliyah. The label has since returned to its preppy roots, but many youngsters will fondly remember the brand's graphic label and baggy silhouettes.

Jennifer Lopez
?While it might be more accurate to say that J.Lo's made more of a cultural return to relevance, the sartorial aspect of her second coming goes with it. Designers were scrambling to dress the actress/singer at the height of her popularity in the early 2000s (who could forget that plunging silk Versace gown she wore to the Grammys back in 2000?), but not so much when her career slowed mid-decade. Since her stint as a celebrity judge on American Idol, the singer has made an unprecedented comeback. Lopez, once again plastered on the cover of fashion magazines (most recently Harper's Bazaar), is setting trends in her second act, scooping up campaigns for Gucci and Tous along the way.

AbFab
Thank God for French and Sunders. The hilarious British sitcom series ended in the late '90s, only to be resurrected for two more rounds in the early aughts. But last year, the show made another comeback with a hilarious Christmas special (complete with Kate Moss cameo) and an Olympics-themed episode, promising a full-length feature film in the near future. The girls also scored their very own Alexis Bittar ad campaign.

J.Crew
A brand originally known as a staple for the Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines-wearing public, J.Crew went through a transformation once Jenna Lyons took the helm in 2007. Ever since, J.Crew has gone from being the label for the wealthy suburban Americans to one of the hottest tickets at New York Fashion Week. And it doesn't hurt that our nation's most fashionable First Lady is a big fan of the brand, either.

Bonus: Gemma Ward
We were all bewitched by the wide-eyed Aussie whose face seemed to be everywhere a decade ago. The model took a hiatus from the fashion world to focus on her blossoming acting career, appearing in films like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and, more recently scoring a role in Baz Luhnmann's upcoming Great Gatsby flick. But now, with news that Ward has signed with IMG in Australia and made a permanent move to Sydney, it looks as if she's poised to re-emerge on the fashion scene in a huge way.

· Oscar de la Renta Grants John Galliano Asylum [Racked]