John Galliano Continues to Seek Forgiveness By Speaking at a Synagogue

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In his new role as creative director at Maison Margiela, John Galliano's been welcomed back into the fold by the likes of Anna Wintour and Amal Clooney. But his anti-Semitic rant and subsequent firing from Dior in 2011 will always be part of his history, and it's an incident that Galliano continued to seek amends for by speaking at a Jewish community event last week at a London synagogue.

The Guardian reports that Galliano told the crowd: "I am an alcoholic. I am an addict." He continued, saying, "This is in no way an excuse. We alcoholics and we addicts are not responsible for our disease. However, I do take complete responsibility for my recovery and making amends."

Galliano told the crowd that he's back on his "spiritual path" now, and that had he not been fired from Dior in 2011, "I think I would be dead."

Rabbi Barry Marcus, who coached Galliano on the tenets of Judaism during the designer's rehab, said during the event that Galliano was asking for compassion. "I want to talk about forgiveness," Marcus said. "I am asking because most people, apart from the angels among us, most of us have done something we regret."