After a tumultuous two-week period following the April 24 announcement of designer John Galliano’s upcoming workshop at the Parsons fashion department, The New School abruptly announced on Tuesday that the plans have been cancelled. Galliano’s workshop, which was set to take place this month, created a stir within The New School community.
“It was a condition of our agreeing to host Mr. Galliano that we also hold a larger forum, which would include a frank discussion of his career,” read an e-mail signed by President David Van Zandt, provost Tim Marshall and Executive Dean of Parsons Joel Towers that was sent to Parsons students earlier today. “Ultimately, an agreement could not be reached with Mr. Galliano regarding the details of that forum, and so the program will not move forward.”
The workshop was expected to mark Galliano’s return to the fashion industry after his, now infamous, anti-Semitic rant which ultimately cost him his position as Christian Dior’s Creative Director in 2011. A few days after the announcement of the workshop though, The New School’s Jewish Student Union started a petition on Change.org, demanding that Galliano would not be allowed to teach. By Tuesday evening, the petition had collected 2,151 signatures, also garnering attention from the national media.
Many students were elated at the school’s decision to cancel the workshop.
“I am pleased to know the administration is no longer hosting this conference with Galliano as a teacher–it would have completely gone against the values and history of this institution,” said Student Senate co-chair and Parsons student Jens Astrup.
“This university under David Van Zandt has accomplished so much and I was stunned to see this decision not only made, but defended once student opposition was raised.”
“[I’m] extremely disappointed in my school’s decision to cancel what would have been the most enlightening and inspirational class to a BFA fashion student,” he said. “I thought [we], being the top fashion institution in the world, could say to the world: ‘F-ck you, we’re this’.”