High & Low-John Galliano is a new documentary about the rags-to-riches story of John Galliano, one of the most talented fashion designers ever to emerge from the United Kingdom. Galliano became notorious for his theatrical fashion shows, full of bombastic, alluring displays of the most exuberant creativity seen in that world. His unrelenting talent quickly paid off by giving him admission to the highest echelons of that industry, until badly managed stress and alcoholism plunged him to the bottom.
When Escaping Becomes an Art Form
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John Galliano was born in Gibraltar to a father of Italian descent and a Spanish mother. This family of humble origins moved to south London in the mid-sixties, where young John Galliano (née Juan Carlos Galliano Guillén) grew up as a stranger to his new country and his parents because of his sexual orientation. Since very little he had, he was drawn to draw profusely, creating new, colorful worlds away from reality and what he found to be rather monochrome surroundings.
Galliano had cut his teeth as a designer from St. Martin’s School of Art in London in the 80s, producing a memorable graduation collection called “Les Incroyables” to great success and notoriety. From this point forward, he skyrocketed to fame and prestige, becoming the creative director at the house of Dior, pretty much the Valhalla of haute couture. Until a fragile mental state and heavy drinking made him the protagonist of a few disgraceful incidents, he spewed anti-Semitic screeds.
Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, and Words Will Indeed Ruin Careers
“High & Low-John Galliano” is a masterful documentary directed by Academy-award winner Kevin Macdonald, a Scottish filmmaker with a wide slate of biopics of almost every irk, from the fictionalized life of Idi Amin Dada in “The Last King of Scottland” to “Amy,” a documentary about the talented and troubled British singer Amy Winehouse. In this case, he explores the rapid rise of John Galliano, his even faster downfall, and the long road to redemption.
Plenty of footage of Galliano speaking directly into the camera lens, á la Errol Morris, makes his remorseful plea more personal and perhaps more believable. Galliano admits to having been a “blackout drunk” who does not quite remember these incidents, but at the same time, he does not seem to evade responsibility. He has made advancements toward leaders of the Jewish community and to the public at large while experiencing a kind of personal renaissance, yet some remain undecided.
There Are Times When Ugliness Is Also Skin Deep
“High and Low: John Galliano” is one of the best documentaries I have seen in a while. It not only tells the story at hand but also raises questions about some of the objectable practices within the fashion industry as well as the meaning of artistic value in a larger context. And then there is the moral question about tolerance or the lack of it. Are racist tirades, whether sincere or not, unforgivable crimes even after offenders admit guilt? Are we all completely free of prejudices like this?
The Jury Is Out, and So Is John Galliano
“High & Low: John Galliano” seems to suggest that its protagonist is not only a recovering alcoholic but also a talented artist who made a terrible mistake, paid for it, and came out on the other side as a more fully realized human being. In a way, Galliano seems to be grateful for what happened, and even though he admits that he is still not able to recognize the darker corners within himself, he has indeed come to a wiser, more tranquil existence. And then there’s the talent; that will never leave him.
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