Dior catwalk show goes ahead without disgraced British Designer Galliano

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

Christian Dior’s catwalk show took place at Paris Fashion Week today without its former star designer, John Galliano, who was sacked from the fashion house last week for a drunken, allegedly anti-Semitic tirade.

The gay British designer had a spectacular fall from grace last week after claims he had directed drunken anti-Semitic insults at people in a cafe in the Marais district of Paris, historically a Jewish neighbourhood and now popular with gay men and lesbians.

Galliano, 50, has apologised for his behaviour and denied all the accusations. He also counter-sued for defamation, but a video that emerged on Monday of him insulting someone else in the same bar and declaring “I love Hitler” will probably do little to help his case.

The case will be heard in court in the second quarter of 2011 and, if found guilty of racism, the designer – who was sacked on Tuesday by Dior – could face up to six months in jail and a fine of 22,500 euros.