Dior Fires John Galliano | Natalie Portman Condemns Designer Vigorously

DesignTracker| Is a roll of the proverbial dice that puts Natalie Portman’s declaration that she will have nothing further to do with fired in disgrace Dior designer John Galliano, next to a post featuring deceased Jewish woman artist Grete Stern.

Greta Stern’s montages of women’s lives, produced during her long career in Argentina where she fled as a persecuted Jew, are described in detail by the excellent Jewish Women’s Archive.

Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman was as nauseated as the rest of the world, watching the disgraced Galliano say “I love Hitler” on a cell phone video shot at La Perle, his Le Marais handout in the old Jewish quarter of Paris.

Portman has an endorsement deal with Dior and we publish her comments with news that Galliano has been fired.

“I am deeply shocked and disgusted by the video of John Galliano’s comments,” Portman said in a statement, according to the New York Times. “In light of this video, and as an individual who is proud to be Jewish, I will not be associated with Mr. Galliano in any way. I hope at the very least, these terrible comments remind us to reflect and act upon combating these still-existing prejudices that are the opposite of all that is beautiful.”

Dior’s president and CEO Sidney Toledano released a statement today saying that because of the “odious behavior” Galliano portrayed in the video released yesterday, Dior has cut all ties with him and initiated proceedings to fire him.

Presently, the Dior Fall 2011 ready-to-wear-show is a go for Friday.

Natalie Portman | Sophia Coppola |  Christian Dior ‘Miss Dior Cherie’