If the death of Alexander McQueen hung like a veil of tears over the shows a year ago, the spectacular implosion of John Galliano is hijacking every conversation this time around, even eclipsing such usual scene-stealers as Lady Gaga on the Mugler runway. (A wonderful show, by the way, of Joey Arias–worthy ensembles and dangerous stilettos that have plenty of models but not Gaga losing their footing.)
Instead of attending the John Galliano presentation on Sunday — it’s been downgraded from a full show — I decide to visit the Marais, the site of the designer’s outburst. Before I leave, I walk over to the Jewish boys school at 6, rue des Hospitalières-St-Gervais, which is around the corner from La Perle, where the designer made his remarks. On the wall of the building is a plaque that commemorates the 165 students at the school who were deported to Auschwitz during the Second World War. None survived.