John Galliano
Born: 1960, in Juan Carlos, Gibraltar.

 

In 1961 Juan Carlos Antonio Galliano was born in Gibraltar of Spanish parents Anita and Juan Carlos Galliano. In 1966 his parents emigrated to London with Juan and two daughters. He attended Wilsons Grammar School and excelled in languages. While doing his A levels, he took up textiles and put together a portfolio to present to St. Martins College of art. He was accepted.

He experimented with bias cutting, reviving and refining it. He worked with Tommy Nutter, in Savile Row, London's famous tailors street. He noticed that sleeves swung forwards, as if cut on the curve, so that you could really move your arms. He began cutting sleeves in a spiral so that his armholes could be neat and even cut trousers on the bias to make legs look slender.

Born: 1960, in Juan Carlos, Gibraltar

First break: “Les Incroyables,” his graduation collection at Central Saint Martins, garnered an unprecedented amount of attention and was displayed in the window of Browns in London.

Company founded: 1984

Based in: Paris

Selected awards: British Designer of the Year (1987, 1994, 1995), one of Time’s 100 Global Icons (2004)

Signature quote: “A sense of narrative inspires me. It gives me a sense of richness.”

Worn by: David Beckham, Justin Timberlake