FASHION DESIGNER JOHN Galliano has been stripped of the Légion d’Honneur – France’s highest accolade – over his conviction for racism last year.
French president Francois Hollande revoked Galliano’s award over an anti-Semitic rant he made at a Paris cafe last year, which saw him fired from fashion house Dior.
The award, which is granted to people who have made an extraordinary contribution to public life, was granted to Galliano in 2009 by former president Nicolas Sarkozy, reports France 24.
During his trial for racism, the court heard that Galliano had verbally abused Geraldine Bloch for being Jewish and had also directed racist comments towards her South African companion in a cafe. An ametuer video of the 51-year-old declaring his love for Adolf Hitler was also shown.
Galliano claimed at the time that he had no memory of the rant and insisted he was not racist. Following a public backlash, he checked into rehab saying that he was struggling with addiction to alcohol, valium and sleeping pills.
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